Changes
by Chunk127
Summary: Sequel to The Bet. After that fateful Halloween Xander is adjusting to the return of his old life. Angel is teaching Willow how to control her bloodlust and Buffy is trying to sort her life out. Season 2 AU
1. Changes

Berserk is owned by Kentaro Miura

Buffy is owned by Joss Whedon

I don't know who owns Blood plus but I know its not me.

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><p>Xander comes into Sunnydale High depressed. Not just because it's school but because of Halloween or to be more precise the number 99. That's how many people died in the carnage of Halloween and Xander knows he's responsible for 3 of them before Willow or whatever that scary vamp chick was that found him. Woman, Children, Men it didn't matter no one was safe. Hell someone blew the mayor's head off with a shotgun. Xander still can't believe someone could be so cruel. The mayor was like the Ward Cleaver of Sunnydale who would want him dead? Xander goes into Sunnydale Library and sees the scoobies still going through the casualties list. Willow working on the computer and Buffy going through newspapers. Xander is amazed Buffy is even here with everything she went through this last week. She broke up with Angel that almost had Xander doing cartwheels and then her old friend from Hemery Ford showed up and was found dead a couple days later with a broken neck and puncture wounds all over. Buffy got his medical records and it ends up he was dying of a brain tumor. He was going to sell her out for immortality. As far as Xander is concerned the creep had it coming. At least Buffy didn't have to stake him.<p>

Buffy was looking through the paper and came to a stop. "Damn, Giles I got another one."

Giles is seriously regretting not killing Ethan for this stunt. If he ever sees him again he will kill him. "Who?"

Buffy holds up the page. "Harmony, a vampire got her."

Willow is glad she wasn't holding onto anything she would have shattered it with her new strength. "Are you sure it was a vampire?"

"Puncture wounds in the neck Will kind of a lazy guess but I'm going with Vampire." Buffy quipped not knowing what she said was destroying her friend.

Willow's face instantly fell far beyond the usual. She got up she needs to see Angel right now.

"Will where are you going?" Xander asked.

Willow kept going and muttered. "I left the oven on in my house."

The three watched in confusion as Willow bolted from the library.

Xander was the first to speak. "So is anyone else wondering what that was about? That was like a Clark Kent excuse. I'm wondering if Willow can jump tall buildings in a single bound."

Buffy smiled. "Come on Xander that is ridiculous." Though looking back on it Willow has been acting different from Halloween they all have. Buffy would not be surprised at it. Xander became quite the expert swordsman thanks to Halloween and Giles is having a sword flown in specifically for him that is three times as thick and long as a normal sword. Willow herself has become quite proficient with a katana and hand to hand it's made patrolling much easier. Buffy's powerful upgrade from Halloween, She now knows all there is to know about proper etiquette. Why didn't she dress like Sarah Conner?

Giles turned to the two. "I doubt Willow is a super hero. Shouldn't you two get ready for class?"

* * *

><p>Xander and Buffy looked at the clock and saw the time. They both ran for their lockers in a dash. Xander was in his locker getting his books ready for the day when he heard a familiar voice from inside his shirt. "Seriously man when was the last time you took a shower." Xander rolled his eyes as Puck came out.<p>

"Yesterday after gym class remember?" Xander replied.

"Yeah, well you need another one. You haven't smelled this bad since your Black Swordsman days." Puck quipped.

"Hey, I don't smell like I've been rolling around in demon remains. Besides there isn't exactly a manual for how to make a shower in a crypt." Xander joked.

"You could always go back ho-" Puck instantly stopped talking but it was too late he was getting flicked for that he knows it.

Xander just nodded no. "I'm happier at the crypt Puck. Besides they don't exactly make a Hallmark card for 'I'm sorry I smashed your head into a whiskey bottle because you took a swing at me dad'."

Puck calmed down thankful Xander has so much more patience now than he did as Guts. "You know I wouldn't complain about the BO if you didn't stick me there every time you talked to your friends."

Xander rolled his eyes. "We've been through this Puck. They'll likely be able to see you with all the demons they fight."

Puck shrugged. "And what about that is so wrong? You told me the story about the dummy and I figure your friends would be glad to have a healer on their side."

Xander shoulder slump knowing Puck's right. "It's just it will finally make it true. That I was Guts am Guts you know what I mean right. Also your big mouth around Buffy is always a threat."

Puck nodded and glared at him for that last part. "Unless I became a chaos mage seeing me won't bring back her memories of her old life. I won't even talk about it I promise. Besides I'd be more concerned about your other friend."

Xander instantly grabbed the elf with his right hand and shook him in a panic. "What's wrong with Willow?"

After Puck regained his equilibrium he just shrugged. "I don't know. But whatever it is she's terrified and depressed."

Xander just looked at him. "Great now I have to find her."

"Don't you have class to go to?" Puck asked.

"Yeah but its Ms. Calender's so I can blow that off saying its official scooby business and even if I couldn't I'd still blow it off she's my best friend."

"You might not want to tell that to the little bald man coming your way." The elf replied.

Xander looks over and rolls his eyes seeing Principal Snyder coming his way. Deal with Snyder's newest assault now and find Willow after he vows.

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><p>Buffy gets her books and sees Snyder giving his daily round of trying to rile up Xander. She looks at Xander and sees the scar on his nose. The scar she gave him, well the scar that useless bimbo Joan gave him. She apologized and Xander accepted and said he didn't even blame her and actually found it funny and fitting in a way. She looks at her friend hoping he endures Snyder's newest round of mental assault since Snyder failed to get him kicked out on carjacking because the whole town is convinced a gas leak caused Halloween. Buffy looks closer at Xander and sees he's fighting a smile maybe even a laugh. Ok what is that about? Almost to answer her thought something came out from Xander and looked at Snyder right in the eyes two inches from his face. Buffy was now laughing watching the NC 17 tinkerbell mooning Snyder right to his face and occasionally turning around and flipping him off.<p>

One of the other students turned around trying to see what Buffy was laughing at when he saw it was Snyder yelling at Xander he just shrugged. "Summers, Harris getting yelled at isn't that funny."

"It's not Snyder it's the" Buffy realizes he can't see the fairy thing. "Yeah you're right it's not." Buffy quickly walks away wondering what's going on. There's a fairy of all things in Sunnydale. She is apparently the only one who can see it. No wait Xander can see it too or he wouldn't be fighting the urge to laugh. She needs to sit him down and find out what he knows…with other people especially Willow. Or she can wait a month or six until she figures out what to do about Xander and her, damn Halloween.

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><p>After the argument with Snyder, Xander skipped class and started looking for Willow. Being a tracker would be nice right now. He should have dressed up as Wolverine for Halloween. Before long he found her at the last place he ever wanted to find her at Angel's apartment cradled in the vampire's arms. Alright calm down and catch your breath Harris you can't yell at Will for doing something Buff was doing not 2 weeks ago. He then sees Willow finally calming down she was crying. He watched Angel leave an comeback with two cups. Both were taking drinks from plastic cups with red liquid making it obvious what it was. Angel was dead.<p>

"Puck tell me you're ready for a fight." Xander said angrily.

Puck was channeling his friend's anger with how much he put out it almost made him sick. "Yeah I'm always ready for a fight when I'm traveling with you. Beats watching the giant hole with the bag of bones."

Xander looked at Puck and saw he was serious. "Giant hole huh. Once I'm in a better mood I'm going to ask about that."

Xander kicked open the door surprising Angel and Willow. Angel glared at him for that. "Gee come right i-"

Angel was cut off and Willow was taken back when Xander didn't say a word and just punched him in the face. Angel already in a bad mood from losing Buffy to this idiot responded right back going to punch him in the face but Xander got his hands up to block. When he did Angel sweeped the legs out from under him knocking him to the floor. Angel grabbed him by the shirt and when he did something flew out of Xander and a flash blinded Angel. Xander recovered and grabbed the blinded Angel and threw him through a little wooden table. Xander picked up a makeshift stake from the table splinters and was tackled by Willow before he could get to Angel and she held both of his hands down while straddling him. Puck sensed no murderous intent in her so he left her be.

"Xander just calm down." Willow pleaded.

"You're not Willow I saw you drink blood." Xander shouted angrily trying to get an arm free to stake her.

Willow was hurt by that but it makes sense Giles taught them that vampires weren't their friends but the thing that killed them. Xander had to stake Jessie because of that. "Xander just watch."

Xander stopped resisting and just watched as he was told to. Willow breathed deep trying to get the strength to do this. She never wanted Buffy or Xander to find out. Willow's eyes turned red and her fangs came out. Xander was taken back by this he didn't know what to think. He figured deadboy sired her to get back at Buffy for dumping him.

"But how, everything went back to normal. Giles broke the spell we won." Xander said trying to get a grip on the situation.

Willow got up seeing Xander had calmed down somewhat and they both sat down on the couch. "You and Buffy went back to normal. Maybe because I dressed up as something other than human I got the side effects."

Xander points out the flaw in her theory. "If that was true we'd have a whole lot of mini monsters out on the street. So you and Angel are?"

"Adopted sire and childe he's helping me deal with the cravings and the guilt." Willow said in full out puppy dog look.

Xander was afraid to ask but as long as she didn't kill an innocent kid because she was someone's butt monkey for 3 years he has her beat. "What happened?"

Tears were starting in Willow's eyes. "I killed Harmony. I bit her and I thought I stopped myself in time but I must have severed an artery because they found her drained of blood anyway."

Xander listened and wondered if that was even possible to bleed out like that from two little punctures. If Willow said she stopped herself he'll believe her. She's not a killer. She can't be. Xander gets up and kicks Angel until he recovers. "Get a blanket we're going to the morgue deadboy."

"Can you please stop calling me that?" Angel pleaded.

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><p>The three arrived at the morgue and Willow walked over to Harmony's slab and opened it. The three looked the body over and saw the bite marks were bigger than Willow's bite. Angel picked up a scent he recognized.<p>

Willow looked over and asked Angel. "So was it me?"

Angel nodded his head no. "I almost wish it was. This is someone far worse. And if she knows about Halloween she'll want Willow's head on a platter."

Xander glared at Angel for being cryptic right now. "Well come on deadboy don't keep us in suspense we need a name."

"Drusilla"

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><p>Up Next: Buffy and Giles' reaction to Willow's change.<p> 


	2. Keep moving

A/N Berserk is completely AU because I'll be 60 by the time Miura either finishes it or dies of old age.

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><p>All 3 entered the library dedicated. They had to find Drusilla. Angel stopped and looked at a sword that was as tall as Buffy. Xander just smiled seeing he finally has a sword again. He always had to use bigger swords than average due to being taught how to use a regular sword at a young age. Guts was nothing more than a child when Gambino gave him a real sword instead of a stick like most parents do. So as he grew up he would always need a bigger sword. Xander took the blade and held it in his hands he took some quick swings to get used to the grip and once he was he used different techniques. Willow watched in awe at the strength and speed in each strike. She feels a great deal of pity for any demon that picks a fight with Xander now. Xander stops with the sword before he puts it down and walks over to the computer.<p>

Willow pouted watching her friend blow off research. "Aren't you going to help?"

Xander looked up from the keyboard "I am helping just not with Drusilla though I'll help kill her when we find her."

"Thanks I think." Willow said still looking through books.

They were at it for a half hour and Willow got up to take a break and see what Xander was doing. She saw he was on google with the words 'Saya Ot' typed in.

Willow looked at her friend confused. "What the heck is Saya Ot?"

Xander just looked at her and starts to explain. "Your costume gave me it's full name on Halloween. If I can remember we might be able to find out what show she's from and how she deals with-" Xander didn't know how to put this.

Willow just pouted. "This" She put her game face on.

Xander's face saddened. "Yeah that"

"Oh my god."

"Good lord"

"Willow?"

Willow turns around in terror and quickly gets rid of her game face. She sees Ms. Calender, Giles, and Buffy. She never wanted them to find out what the hell was she thinking doing that here.

Buffy was in shock Willow was a vampire but it's 11:30 in the morning. "What, how, what?"

Willow took up the answer. "In that order Xander's looking into it, Halloween, and…Xander's looking into it."

Buffy nodded but was confused there are three people here why are they making Xander do all the work. "So what are you two doing?"

Xander and Angel both shared a look in silent agreement. They agreed they weren't saying a word about Willow. It's her secret to tell when and if she is ever ready to tell it. Besides she killed one person because she couldn't control her new power. Xander won't judge because with his old memories back he knows he did far worse. Angel won't judge because one of his nicknames is the scourge of Europe. Willow collected herself and started. "I-I t-thought I might have" Willow was so nervous and sweating god how are they going to look at her after this. "I bit Harmony I thought I might have killed her but according to Angel a vampire called Drusilla might have done it."

Giles was counting the ways to kill Ethan he's up to 50. Rayne will be spending a very painful evening with the ripper if he ever sees him again. He has to break Willow's heart now. "I'm sorry Willow but Dru-Drusilla was killed by a mob in Prague."

Giles announcement sucks the last of Willow's resolve and she just breaks down in tears completely. It was her she did this. Xander runs up and hugs his friend he won't leave her now no matter what. Buffy follows his lead as they both hold the broken redhead. Buffy knows she still has a soul and she's still Willow by her outburst, to Xander even if she sprouted wings and flew. He loves crayon breaking Willow, and he'll love scary vampy Willow.

Ms. Calender went to the computer and redid Xander's search and just typed in 'Saya vampire'. "Guys I think I found Willow or what she is now."

They all look over and Xander points at the 5th page. "Saya Otonashi that's her."

Jenny opens the page and starts reading. "She's a chiropteran vampire queen. Her blood is lethal to anything Supernatural. She can walk in the daylight, she can't be staked and she's practically immortal unless another student dressed up as someone called Diva."

"What about the hunger?" Willow asked in case pig's blood ever stopped working.

Jenny moves further down the page. "You can eat real food and they dealt with it by transfusing blood into her every couple days and after every battle."

Willow got out of her seat this is too much. "I'm sorry I just want to be alone right now. This is a lot to take in." She just walks out of the building.

Buffy frowned she can't believe something like this has happened. "She'll never be the same will she?"

Angel frowned. "She took a life it will change everything for her now. I was hoping I was right with Drusilla."

Buffy was scared now she didn't know Jessie but this was Willow. "Should I prepare I mean if I have to…god I can't finish that sentence."

Xander was shocked at what Buffy was saying. "Dear god of course not. Willow had an accident because she was forced to become a demon she didn't want it and had no idea how to control her new powers."

"I'd hate to be the one who brings this up but a girl is dead from her accident Xander." Jenny pointed out.

Xander rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because I'm sure deadboy here had a complete straight edge life and only drank vampire slim fast for the past 100 years. I'm not saying Willow's guilt free but I know she'd never 100% voluntarily kill someone."

Giles looked at Angel for a reaction and when he saw him wince he knew Xander had a point. "That's enough, for now all we can do is see how it plays out from here."

Angel left first he'd get home through the sewer system. Jenny and Giles left after Jenny reminded Xander that he had to show up tomorrow for remedial classes. Xander didn't even have the energy to quip about school on Saturdays. Eventually the library was empty besides Buffy and Xander.

Buffy was full of remorse. Willow didn't even want to wear that costume. Buffy strong armed her into it. Why didn't she just let her wear the ghost costume like she had wanted to? Now her best friend accidentally killed someone and it was all her fault. Xander saw Buffy on the brink of tears and just pulled her into a hug.

"It wasn't your fault." Xander said trying to assure her.

Buffy had a tear in her eye. "Yes it is. I made her wear that stupid costume none of this would have happened. If I had just let her be the ghost that she wanted."

Xander used his thumb and wiped the tear from her eye. "Buffy the three of us as goofy teenagers made a goofy teenage bet. Besides she might have saved us all from Spike. This wasn't your fault it was Ethan's don't ever forget that ok."

Buffy broke off of Xander. "Thanks Xander. I'll visit Will after school she seems to want to be alone." She leaves.

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><p>Puck was surprised with how Xander handled all that. He didn't lose his temper. Not once. Though he does lose some points after checking out Buffy's butt as she left. "So are you going to visit her?"<p>

Xander just frowned. "Not today I'm just going to leave her be I'll visit in the morning."

Xander had a Eureka moment before turning back to Puck. "Hey how about Shierke can she do something to help turn Willow back to normal?" The realization hits. "Of course, I'm assuming she's still alive."

Xander saw Puck frown and knew he wasn't going to like the answer. "Shierke is alive and she actually looks really good for her age; but she lost Ciro a couple years back and has been looking for him ever since."

Xander slammed his fist into the table. "Should have just let Isidro eat the damn egg."

Puck watched as Xander used his belt to strap his new sword to his back. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to calmly find Ethan" Xander said he then grabbed the handle of the sword. "And then I'm going to shove this down his throat."

Puck frowned. See that's how he expected Xander to handle it.

* * *

><p>Xander looked around all day for Ethan but no luck. He spent a good portion of the night also but the British costume dealer seemed to be very good at staying hidden. He returned to his crypt so that he can wake up in time to talk to Willow before he goes to school. When he got to his home he came to a very unwanted sight a group of 6 vampires looking to make his crypt their home.<p>

"Check it out boys home and a meal." Their leader said.

Xander just looked at the 6 and felt something even worse rising up. "Walk away"

The leader just smirked. "Did you hear that boys the meat bag here thinks he's the boss?"

Xander pulled out his sword he's really not in the mood and can feel it coming out. "Last chance"

A female vampire just smirked. "Someone's overcompensating."

"Look at the size of that sword." One said.

"Does the little twerp actually expect to swing that around?"

The group of vampires had a laugh until Xander was 4 feet in the air over the leaders head. Xander brought the sword down on the leader's skull smashing it but not splitting it in two. A death move for a human but the vampire falls to the floor and starts twitching. The other 5 looked at him and he was almost growling at them. They'd swear he actually has a set of canines like a wolf or a beast. Three of them charged him simultaneously, Xander just flipped the sword to its side. He unleashed a primal scream and in one swing the three vampires heads and arms went flying off turning into dust. The last two begged for mercy but Xander just cut their heads off.

Xander dropped the sword ran over and jumped atop the twitching leader violently punching him the face splattering blood on Xander. Xander continued the assault trying to make the fight continue. He needs the fight that's the only time everything fades away. He doesn't have to deal with Gut's memories, how much he wants Buffy more than a friend; the fact that another of his friends has been turned into a vampire, Schierke is out there somewhere else so he can't get her help with Willow. He grabs a rock and continues hitting the brain dead vamp. He wants it all to stop he doesn't want to remember anything. He goes to take another swing with the rock but this time he is caught in a tiny arm and pulled off with ease. Buffy pulls out a stake and finally puts the vampire out of its misery.

Xander got up realizing who threw him off. "Buffy what are you doing here?"

Buffy looked at him. "You're covered in blood and you're asking me what I'm doing?"

"Yes" Xander answered.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "I'm a slayer I slay you might want to remember that next time you go psycho on a vamp in a graveyard."

Xander looked at her walking into his crypt. "Point taken"

Buffy followed him into the crypt stake in hand ready to fight more vampires. She looked around this wasn't a vampire's crypt if anything it looked like a teena- of my god. "Xander, do you live here?"

Xander leaned his sword on the wall. And laid down atop the coffin. "Don't knock it; it's nicer than the last place I lived."

Buffy looked around no trace of sunlight, could lead to underground tunnels, no invitation needed. "Yeah, you can't live here Xander."

Xander looked at her. "I like it and I burned the bridge home so I'm here."

Buffy glared at him. "So you'll stay with me and my mom until we sort it out. And before you ask any questions think what's scarier a swordsman or a slayer."

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><p>Xander's face paled as he grabbed a bag and loaded it with his clothes along with his sword and headed for Buffy's house. Xander was sitting down on Buffy's bed after a shower and she came out in her pajamas. She sat down right next to him and didn't know how to even say this but she decided it has to come out. The Xander thing not the Xander and Buffy thing.<p>

"So what happened out there tonight?" Buffy said waiting for an answer.

Xander said nothing.

Buffy couldn't believe Xander was stonewalling her. That's it he's possessed by that streaking tinkerbell. "Does this have anything to do with the little green guy?"

Xander opened his mouth in shock. How, how does she know about Puck? Buffy don't remember please don't remember. "What green guy?" He manages to ask.

Buffy looked at him. He can't call denial when he was cracking a laugh. "The one that had his butt in Snyder's face today."

Xander breathes a sigh of relief. She doesn't remember she just saw Puck goofing around today. "Come on out Puck we're busted."

The elf flew out of Xander's shirt and took a seat on Xander's shoulder. "Hiya Buffy."

Buffy just waved back not sure what to do. "Hi Puck...nice to meet..you" Wait shape up Buffy he's poisoning your friend's mind. "Are you the reason he flipped tonight."

Puck panicked and waved his arms left and right. "No, no that was actually not bad compared to how he used to get."

Xander's eyes bug out and he flicks the elf with his index finger. "See big mouth."

Puck was on the floor and waved an arm up. "Sorry"

Buffy glared at Xander. "What did he mean by used to get?"

Xander shrugged truth was out about him now so no point in hiding it now. "Will wasn't the only one who had an unpleasant surprise on Halloween."

Buffy put her hand on his shoulders. "What happened?"

Xander just breathed and started. "The costume I had on Halloween Guts, well it ends up it was an actual person, Eventually he died and was reincarnated as me. And when I was hit the whammy I got hit with the past I didn't want to remember."

"So you have all of Gut's memories." Buffy realizes. Poor Xander just going on what he did on Halloween Guts had a lot of problems.

Xander nodded. "Yeah a lifetime of memories I don't want."

Puck was recovering and kind of hurt by his words but he'll deal. "Yeah you kind of lived a messed up life as Guts."

Xander nodded in agreement. "Kind of like saying knives are sharp."

All 3 had a laugh until Puck started. "Well look at it this way. You can not make all the mistakes you made as Guts."

Xander smiled. "Never thought of it like that. And I have all his swordsman knowledge."

Buffy looked to Xander with curious eyes. "So are you alright. With what happened earlier?"

Xander nodded. "Yeah it's just a friend got put through the ringer I leaned towards the postal. I'll work on the temper problem." He turns to Buffy seeing she's already thinking of ways to blame herself. "And no it's not your fault its Ethan's."

Buffy shrugged her shoulders. "I know you pounded it into my head earlier. So sleep we still have an hour or two."

Xander nodded. "Sleep"

* * *

><p>Later that night Buffy was asleep in her bed. Xander was sitting back against the wall eyes open one arm wrapped around his sword. He looks down and sees Puck in chibi form asleep on his leg. He looks over to Buffy's closet and starts to see the shadows take form. Now he knows he's asleep too. The shadows take form into a beast and Xander just rolled his eyes. Apparently he's getting a visit from the hellhound.<p>

The creature walked towards Xander. "We both know I am much more than a bad temper."

Xander just looked at the beast. "I liked you better when you were convincing me to kill deadboy."

The hellhound jumped up on Buffy's bed admiring the girl. "She's pretty are you going to attack her again like last life."

"Shut up" Xander yelled.

The beast jumped off Buffy's bed and onto Xander's legs getting right in his face. He would have killed Puck if he was real. "That's right you already did."

Xander was fuming until the realization hit. It's desperate and its weak. This thing was born out of Gut's hatred of Griffith something Xander doesn't have that much since he knows Griffith is rotting in a hell dimension thanks to Casca. He's so desperate for Xander to hate something he had to bring up the time he attacked Buffy while possessed by the hyena which lasted for about 6 seconds until Buffy hit him with a desk.

Xander just got up and ignored the creature completely till he was on his feet. He turned to the hell hound and started. "You're nothing, you're shit."

Hellhound glared at him. "You can't do this you need me."

Xander looked back at Buffy no he doesn't he has her, Will, Cordy and even Giles. "What I need is for you to pack your bags and get the hell out of my head." At Xander's words the sun shot up and the shadow creature burned in the light and screamed. "You can't bury me forever. I'll be back." before disappearing completely. Xander's eyes shot up awakeand he was a lot more calmer he looked down and saw Puck on his leg. Sadly his movement woke up Buffy being a Slayer she's always a light sleeper.

Buffy looks at Xander half asleep. "Are you OK."

Xander nods. "It was just a bad dream."

"Get some sleep, you have school tomorrow." Buffy teased.

"Oh yeah school on Saturday." Xander yawns. "That will just fly by. Goodnight Buff"

Buffy yawns. "Goodnight Xander."

* * *

><p>Next morning Xander easily climbs up to Willow's room badmouthing her parents from the looks of it she's been in her room all day yesterday and still hasn't left and they haven't even noticed. This isn't good. The guilt will consume her if she does this. He walks into her room and sees a DVD box on the floor he picks it up and looks at the cover 'Berserk' He flips the DVD box to the back and sees pictures of the Hawks.<p>

'Son of a bitch there really is a cartoon about my life.' Xander thinks to himself.

"I typed in Guts Swordsman on google. I was curious."

Xander turns around and sees Willow lying in bed. "Will, how much did you watch?"

Willow shrugged. "The whole thing, bet you're thankful that was just a show huh."

Xander just pouted Willow has no idea. "It wasn't all a show Will."

Xander sits Willow down and tells her about his old life what the show changed and how it stopped very early on in the story. Willow sits there trying to take it all in.

Willow summed up the situation "So Guts got all wrapped up in a Xander package and the Halloween wammy."

"Restored my old memories." Xander finished. "And got Puck back in my life." Xander just laughs at the fact when Willow tells him that Puck didn't get into the cartoon.

Willow saw what Xander was trying to do "You might have in an old life but you never killed anyone in your new one."

Xander nodded knowing she was right. "I still have the memories and the guilt Will. Believe me Harmony was nothing in comparison to the things I did in my old life. However bad you think it is trust me it can't compare. I'm not saying you'll be better tomorrow because you won't be. It will take time to come to terms with this but we'll all be here to help you. Ok. Me Buffy, Giles, A-A-An."

"Angel" Willow provided.

"Thank you" Xander joked.

Willow took her friends hand for support. "So what do we do now?"

"Well I'm going to remedial computers and I'm sure Ms. Calender would let you tag along despite the fact you might be better than her with a computer. It will take your mind off things at least. You have to keep moving Will I'm sure deadboy would agree with me on that."

Willow nodded wiping off tears. "That works both ways Xander they can be there for you too."

"I know." Xander said "But believe me I had my break through last night.

Willow kicked Xander out and 10 minutes later she was dressed and ready to go. The two teens feel a little better thinking they can one day come to terms with the changes forced on them by Halloween.

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><p>Author's notes<p>

Thanks for the reviews

Up Next: Xander and Willow have gained a semblance of control but will that hold up when Ethan Rayne returns to town.


	3. The Dark Age

Xander makes it to class on time with Willow. This is just purely unnatural. No power on earth should make a guy go to school on Saturday it's just evil. On the Bright side though Xander figured out why he's here in the first place. Between Gut's memories, the hyena spirit, and now keeping the demented hellhound under control there is just no room in his brain for computers which are overrated anyway.

Jenny started the lesson until Buffy walked in. "The first thing we're going to do today is… Buffy."

Xander shot up. "Did I fall asleep already?" Xander looks at her face not the time to be funny. "What's wrong?"

"It's Giles." Buffy said.

Jenny was instantly concerned. "Is there something wrong?"

Buffy shrugged. "I don't know. Uh, he didn't show up when he was supposed to last night, and then, when I went over to his place, he was acting... well, very anti-Giles. He wouldn't let me in, and he looked really bad. I-I think he might've been... I think he was drinking."

"Tea" Willow asked as reassurance.

"Not tea Will. How about you guys have you noticed anything different?"

Willow, Xander, and Jenny shrug.

"It might have something to do with the cop that paid him a visit yesterday." Cordelia said bluntly.

Buffy was in shock. "Why didn't you mention this to any of us?"

Cordelia shrugged. "You never asked."

Xander playfully pats her on the shoulder. "We understand it wasn't about you."

Buffy was instantly alert. "Let's go check out the library."

* * *

><p>The scoobies look around in the library but no sign of Giles. Willow hears something up in the stacks and is instantly alert. When whoever is in there tries to dump the stacks on her she pushes right back and dumps it on him to her surprise its Ethan. Willow is using every thing Angel has taught her about control to keep from ripping the chaos mage's throat out.<p>

She yanks him out looking like she could rip his arm off at any second. And throws him down at the others. Xander recognizes him instantly and puts his foot on his chest keeping him from moving.

Buffy looks down and sees why Xander and Willow were so rough with him. It's the man from Halloween. She looks down at him. "What are you doing here?"

Xander is distracted as a zombie burst through Giles office. He goes to fight it but is pushed aside. Ethan tries to make a break for it but gets a knee to his crotch from Cordy for his trouble. Buffy and Willow work together and force the zombie into a cage.

"Well he's pretty spry for a corpse." Willow said.

Buffy turned to her. "How do you" The realization hits her. "Never mind" she whispers.

Willow thought to herself. "That reminds me." Willow grabs Ethan by the hair and throws him into a chair. Ethan goes to run and Willow vamps out. "Give me a reason to kill you, please."

Ethan instantly sits back down and talks to them about why he's here. Buffy calls Giles about the mark of Eyghon. Giles immediately started leaving the apartment for the library.

Xander looked to Buffy. "Why didn't you mention this last night?"

Buffy looked back. "You seemed to have enough on your plate I didn't want to add to it."

Xander just shrugged. "Friends unload on each other all the time it's what we're here for."

Buffy just smiled. "That goes both ways Xander."

"I know." Xander answered.

"Excuse me" Cordelia said cutting everyone off. "When was everyone going to tell me Willow's a vampire?"

"I'm a vampire." Willow said bluntly as she points to Ethan. "It's his fault."

Cordelia just nods in understanding. "It's always the quiet ones."

At this Giles burst through the door and saw Ethan at the chair. "Is everyone alright."

"I kicked a guy and Willow is apparently a vampire." Cordelia said.

"We're fine Rupert." Jenny assured him.

Xander was looking at the cage with Puck. "Dead…guy here interrupted our class. Thanks for that by the way."

Cordelia couldn't believe this was she the only one who didn't know about Willow. "Anything else happen on Halloween that I missed?"

Buffy looked to Xander begging him to let them see Puck. Xander just nodded but he won't go into his past life. "Puck get out here and introduce yourself."

The elf flew out of Xander's shirt and onto his shoulder and waves. "Hiya"

Willow, Giles, and Jenny just kind of wave and make the introductions. Cordelia looks over and wonders what Xander is on as nothing happens. Xander was surprised he figured Willow and Giles would see him but he's surprised Ms. Calendar does too. Maybe he needs to talk to her.

Cordelia just glares at Xander. "Aren't we a little old for imaginary friends Xander."

Puck folded his arms across his chest. "It's not my fault you're too shallow to see me."

The whole group does they're best not to laugh. Cordelia notices and asks. "What did he say about me?"

Willow tells her and Cordelia starts yelling at Xander's shoulder. "How dare you call me shallow it is a testament to my character that I hang out with these people you little-" Cordelia sees Puck on Xander's shoulder. "Naked…Tinkerbell."

Giles goes over and picks up Ethan by the hair. "I would have thought you would have had enough sense to leave town after Halloween."

"Well, you know me Ripper." Ethan gasped out in some pain. "Couldn't go leaving when I still had the shop leased to the end of the month."

Giles let go of Ethan and looked at the man with an expression that said he was about to do more to him than just a little hair pulling.

Sadly however at this moment the zombie broke free. Knocking Ms. Calendar out with the door. Xander pulled Cordelia aside as Buffy and Willow went to work on the deadhead until it melted into a puddle of green goop.

Puck looks over and he is the first to see it "Hey guys Ethan's gone."

Buffy ran out to the halls to try to find Ethan. Giles helped Ms. Calendar awake.

Xander waited for Buffy to come back having not found Ethan. He slips out determined to track him down before Willow does.

* * *

><p>"So where are we going?" Puck asked.<p>

"He still has a lease on the costume store until the end of the month. He might go there." Xander said.

* * *

><p>Giles ignored Buffy's questions and focused on Ms. Calendar. Buffy was never one to just let things lie. She sent Willow to research the mark and sent Cordelia to research Giles though Cordy did it under protest. Buffy herself would check out the costume store and maybe kill Xander if she bumps into him for running off.<p>

* * *

><p>Xander is looking around the costume store for Ethan. "Puck can you sense him?"<p>

Puck just nods no. "Nothing so far."

Xander just rolled his eyes. He should have grabbed his sword but he was in a hurry.

Ethan showed himself from the back room. "I'm kind of disappointed I was expecting the Slayer."

Xander shrugged. "Well she has better things to do. And the two of us need to talk."

Ethan waved signaling him to come in the back. Xander followed figuring he'd be more concerned with saving his own life. As soon as he was in front of Ethan he heard a familiar voice in his head.

"Guts get down."

Xander dropped to the floor and narrowly avoided getting hit in the head with a mannequin by Ethan. Xander buried both of his feet into Ethan's chest and shoved him back. Ethan ran to the front door and backed up slowly with a staff pointed at his head. Xander watched on as Ethan came back in with the stick held by a girl Buffy's height with green hair and purple clothes dressed as a witch. It can't be her can it?

"Sch-Schierke" Xander asked for clarification.

Schierke smiled. "It's good to see you again Guts."

Xander was looking her over. "Look at you you're...woman sized."

"Well you've been dead for a couple hundred years." Schierke points out.

Xander was doing the math in his head. "That means you're really-"

Schierke glared at him he's as subtle as he used to be. "Finish that sentence and you will spend the rest of your life under the impression you are a six year old girl."

Xander stood back. "You're bluffing."

Schierke just shot him a smile. "I'll have Puck do your hair."

Xander just laughed. "It's good to see you again."

Schierke smiled. "The same here." She couldn't believe it when she returned with Ciro she found the Skull Knight waiting for her. He told her what happened with the Chaos spell but she had to see it for herself. Sure enough as she was reading his OD it was Guts. "So why are you after the Chaos mage?"

"I need to ask him a few questions." Xander replied.

"Ask away." Schierke said. "He's completely under my control."

Xander debated what he should ask first but he decided to go with the immediate threat. "Eyghon what is it?"

Ethan spilled everything how Eyghon was the ultimate drug but it all went bad and they had to kill one of their own. They thought they were free of it but it found a way back to the real world.

Xander looked to Ethan "What about Halloween. I have old memories, I know what caused that but my friend still has fangs. How do we fix that?"

Ethan smiled he didn't expect that. "Nothing to fix your friend has great magic in her."

Xander glared at him. "What does that mean?"

Ethan loved it he didn't think there would be someone powerful enough to permanently affect. "It means your friend can become the most powerful witch on the Western Hemisphere if she wants. The only reason she wouldn't get a boost from Halloween is if she went as something pathetic like a ghost or a princess."

"You turned her into a vampire! She killed someone because she couldn't control the bloodlust!" Xander shouted.

Ethan rolled his eyes even hypnotized. "And I feel just awful about it."

Xander pulled Ethan away from Shierke and tossed him head first into the glass display case. Ethan fell to the floor with a bleeding head. Xander grabbed the glass shard that could closest pass as a knife and approached the mage. Schierke sensed the hellhound emerging from Xander's subconcious and went to quiet it.

Buffy got to the store just in time to see the scene. "Xander don't."

Xander had the shard over Ethan's head. "There's no cure Buff. He turned Willow into a demon and he got a sick laugh out of it."

Buffy was shocked at that she was still hoping since Willow wasn't actually sired she could be turned back but she can't let Xander cross this line just because she can't. "And killing him won't do anything about it except make you as bad as him. Xander please don't kill him he's not worth it. Please just put it down."

Xander wanted so much to kill him and as far as he's concerned he deserves it. But he looks at Buffy and sees she's scared. He's scaring her. He drops the shard. Having Buffy in his life is more important then revenge for what happened to Willow. "Sorry, so what have you been up to Buff?" Xander asks as Puck heals Ethan's face.

Buffy pouted. "I went to see Giles he told me everything."

Xander points at Ethan "So did he. Didn't exactly sound like G-Man."

Buffy nodded. "He was young once just like we are. So who's your friend?"

Xander made the introductions. "Schierke, Buffy, Buffy, Schierke."

Schierke shook the slayer's hand and sensed her OD. It might be a new life but not much has changed and she quickly realizes what suppressed the hellhound.

Buffy wonders what's with the odd looks Shierke's giving her. "I'm going to go call Will tell her you're fine."

When Buffy goes to the phone Schierke whispers in Xander's ears. "You do realize Buffy is-"

"Casca I know." Xander whispered back.

"Then you realize she also has strong feelings for you?" Shierke asked.

Xander nodded. "Yeah best friend I know."

Schierke looked at him did he not know. "Guts it's a lot more than that."

Xander just looked at the witch. "I doubt that and it's Xander now. Also don't let Buffy onto anything that might bring back her old memories."

Schierke just nods in understanding. If that's what he wants "Got it"

Buffy gets off the phone. "Willow's on her way she says she knows how to kill the demon which is currently in Ms. Calendar."

Puck finished healing Ethan. "In the meantime what do we do with him?"

* * *

><p>Willow entered the magic shop to a scene. Ethan Rayne tied up and gagged to a Chair with Buffy in front and Xander behind him. Along with a witch who just looked her over.<p>

Schierke turned to Xander it was just as she thought. "Sorry Xander, but there's nothing I can do just she's just too powerful for my magic to work."

Xander frowns he didn't want to hear that. "I understand."

Willow turned to Xander. "You asked her about me?"

"She's the most powerful witch I know if anyone could have taken it out of you I thought it would be her." Xander defended himself.

Willow just looked the witch over. "OK"

Buffy looks to Willow. "So what is the plan?"

"You're not going to like it. Just trust me." Willow said.

At this point Ms. Calendar broke in mutated into something resembling a vampire. She went for Ethan but was quickly interrupted by Willow choking her.

Ms. Calendar smiled. "You can't kill me."

Willow smirked. "I'm just stalling."

At this Angel enters the store followed by Giles. Willow throws Ms. Calendar at Angel who continues the choking. Willow would have done this herself but she still has a heartbeat and Eyghon only gets in through dead or unconscious bodies. Giles comes in and is instantly horrified. He tries to get to Angel but Willow stops him. Something exits Ms. Calendar and enters Angel. Angel shifts between three different faces and pushes out Eyghon whom fades away to ash without a host.

Buffy looks down to Ethan. "What do we do with him?"

Ethan had a smile on his face because oh how predictable good guys were. "Nothing you can't prove I did anything wrong. So if you'll untie I'll be on my way."

Puck whispers something into Xander's ear which shocks him that the elf could be that cruel. Xander whispers it into Schierke's ear and she nods in agreement. She walks over and unties Ethan. She puts her staff to his head and orders him. "Walk until your feet bleed and then keep walking, when you finally stop you won't even remember enough about magic to make a pencil float." Ethan walks right out of the costume store for parts unknown.

* * *

><p>Xander excused himself and Schierke followed him out.<p>

"Thanks for saving me back there from Ethan." Xander said. "I wonder what he would have done to me."

"He would have branded you with the mark of Eyghon and destroy his own letting the demon kill you in his place." Schierke answered having sensed it in Ethan's OD.

Xander was furious he can't believe this. "I would have been a demon magnet again. Isn't getting branded in one lifetime enough."

Schierke looked at him oh god he doesn't know. "Xander you're still branded. Not as strong as when you were as Guts but you were branded down to your soul which is still in you in every life."

Xander looked at her. "You mean to tell me I'm going to be a demon magnet till the day I die."

Shierke nodded. "Buffy too."

"Son of a bitch"

Schierke and Xander said their farewells. Xander was a little surprised to see Schierke dip her finger in a bottle of blood. Schierke draws on air and it activates a portal to a forest which he assumes is her current home since she could never stand villages let alone a city. Xander was shocked at this she usually draws her power from the spirits not blood.

"When did you start using dark magic?" Xander asked with concern for a friend.

Schierke realizes what has Xander so freaked out. "Oh I'm not using the blood just the energy in it."

"You're going to have to explain that one." Xander said.

"You'll get it in a few years." Schierke answered.

* * *

><p>Schierke walked through the portal and disappeared. Xander walked back into the costume shop and all he saw was Giles and Puck.<p>

"Where'd everyone go?" Xander asked

Giles was cleaning his glasses. Xander instantly knows this wasn't good and asks. "What now?"

Giles stopped. "Buffy has told me where you've been living."

"It was just for one night." Xander said.

Giles looked at him he didn't believe him for a second. "The crypt Xander."

Xander caught on Buffy had tattled him out. "Oh that was a bit lo-"

"Shut Up" Giles said cleaning his glasses. "I don't have to remind you of the dangers Buffy constantly faces." Giles faces Xander sternly. "What would be the point?, Nor shall I remind you that you have recklessly endangered your life along with all the lives you hold dear by taking up residence in a place where vampires can get in uninvited."

"I can hold my own." Xander said.

"Be quiet." Giles ordered and Xander instantly shut up. "It would have only taken one lucky vampire and they could have had a vampire that was a master swordsman and knew all the inter workings of the Slayer and her friends. I can't think of anything more dangerous. What you did was irresponsible and immature on every possible level."

Xander just looked down with a sad face he never even thought of any of that. "Giles I"

Giles looked at him. "Just go to Buffy's and get your things. You're staying with me for now so I can at least keep an eye on you."

Giles left and Xander and Puck are on their way to Buffy's.

"You were afraid of Giles back there." Puck teased.

"Was not." Xander replied. "You don't think I'll have to drink tea do you?"

* * *

><p>Author's notes<p>

Already halfway through this isn't a long story.

Up Next: The Scoobies finally get some good news.


	4. Relief

Xander can't believe this. All he did was fill out a stupid test because Giles strong armed him into it. Xander had to see Snyder because his 'test' didn't even leave him a spot on the list. He knows he has law enforcement but he'll worry about that tomorrow and he'll have Buffy with him so that's a win in his book. Snyder sent him up to a mysterious room in the school for a private meeting. Xander opens the door and is kind of surprised by what he sees. He sees three guys all soldiers. He is impressed though if Xander didn't remember his life as Guts they would have had him fooled completely. He looks past the soldiers and sees an older woman sitting in a desk. The older woman smiles seeing Xander instantly pick up something about her boys.

"Mr. Harris" The older woman said.

Xander just kind of half smiled. "That would be me."

"I'm Professor Maggie Walsh, and these are my assistants Riley Finn, Forrest Gates, and Graham Miller."

Xander shakes everyone's hands now realizing this is a recruitment pitch. "So what do you want? Not that I don't appreciate you getting me out of career day."

Walsh smiled. "We wish to discuss with you your extracurricular activities."

Xander shrugged. "I'm thinking swim team."

Wash rolled her eyes not amused. "No Mr. Harris, your current nighttime extracurricular activities." Walsh shows Xander a picture of himself carving up a demon the day after the Eyghon incident. Giles channeled his anger about what happened to Jenny on Xander, and Xander channeled his anger out on this poor bastard.

Xander looks at the picture and just puts it down. "So what do you want?"

Walsh was curious he didn't say it was him but he didn't deny it either. "I'm curious about what you plan to do with your life after highschool."

"Hotdog on a stick shows potential." Xander quipped.

"What about college?" Walsh asked.

"Solid C's and deadbeat parents no college." Xander answered.

Walsh looked at him with interest. "What if I could get you a full ride at UC Sunnydale?"

Xander instantly realized what was going on she wants him to join her little band of misfits. However after what happened to the Hawks he will never swing his sword for someone else again. He'll never be a mercenary. He fights demons now to help Buffy and get payback for Jessie. Xander gets up and walks for the door. "Not interested."

Xander went for the door but was cut off by Forrest. Xander just grabs him and throws him to the floor. Riley and Graham jump on Xander but they're blinded by a flash. Xander punched Graham and Walsh got up and stopped Riley from getting involved.

"What about the things that happen in this town?" Walsh asked.

Xander shrugged his shoulders. "Every town has its wonders."

Walsh glared at him. "Most town secrets don't involve mysterious murders. Look at this girl." Wash held up a folder. "Harmony Kendall all her blood was drained after being stabbed twice with-"

"An ice pick" Xander answered that's Sunnydale's usual cover story.

"A barbeque fork" Walsh finished her original sentence.

Xander snatched the folder away from Walsh and was quickly reading it. "The first stab didn't kill her."

Walsh nodded. "Second one was what did her in. The wounds were so close it took a while to see it."

Walsh was surprised when Xander just hugged her and had a euphoric look on his face.

Xander instantly broke it. "Sorry about that, I gotta go."

Walsh put her hands up. "Mr. Harris" She gives him a card. "Anytime between now and graduation you actually want to listen to what we have to say you call."

Xander nodded. "Yeah I'll think about it." Xander says as he rushes out the door. He won't.

Forrest was getting off the floor. "He took the folder."

Walsh shrugs. "It's just a copy."

Riley just took the site in confused. "You think he'll join?"

* * *

><p>Xander was in a hurry and so was Puck who was relieved that not one person in that room could see him. Xander was roaming the halls.<p>

"Now if I was a redhead with nothing to do on career day where would I be?"

Puck was sitting there almost euphoric with the happiness and relief coming off of Xander. "The library"

Xander rushed into the library and saw Buffy and Giles. Buffy was taken back by the sudden entrance.

The slayer looked at him he looked so happy. "Xander what is it?"

"No time have you seen Willow?" Xander asked.

Buffy shrugged why is he going after Willow like a madman. "No, why?"

Xander caught his breath. "Good news she deserves to hear it first."

Giles told him about a room they set up for a private firm interested in her and one other student. Before the watcher could just tell him to wait Xander was gone and Buffy was running after him she wants to know what turned Xander into an impatient 5 year old on a sugar rush.

Xander made it into the room and saw Willow and a short guy with black hair along with two guys in suits.

One of the guys in suits stood up. "Excuse me this is a."

"Piss Off!" Xander shouted and the man sat back down in fear earning a laugh from Buffy.

"Subtle" The guy with black hair quipped.

Willow was kind of shocked. "Xander what are you doing in here?"

Xander was catching his breath. "Good news don't think you should have to wait to hear it."

Willow excuses herself and is out in the hall with Buffy and Xander. "OK Xander I think I'm not going with them but why did you storm in like that?"

Xander showed her the folder he took from Walsh. "Harmony's autopsy report"

Willow glared at him and her eyes turned red. "Why would I want to see that?"

Xander opens it. "Because she died from blood loss after being stabbed twice with a barbeque fork."

Willow was in thought until it clicked and her eyes turned back to normal. Tears were running down her face and a genuine smile came out for the first time in weeks. "I only bit her once."

Xander smiled. "I know."

Willow was smiling as the guilt was coming off. "I didn't…"

Xander put his hands on her shoulder. "You absolutely did not kill Harmony. Someone was setting you up for the guilt trip and potential slayage."

Willow burst in smile and tears and jumped onto Xander hugging on instinct. "Thank you" She kept repeating. She stopped herself in time like she thought she did. She's still a vampire but she wasn't a murderer.

Buffy had an ear to ear grin. The nightmare was over. Xander being the person that he was refused to let Willow suffer from guilt one second longer than she had to. It's why her feelings had changed for him. Willow broke off from Xander and hugged Buffy.

Xander watched the two in a smile until Puck yelled. "Heads up"

Xander was tackled to the floor by a Cyclops of all things. Survival instinct instantly took hold and Xander grabbed a knife from the cyclops's waist and stabbed him. Buffy ran over and tackled the Cyclops off Xander. Willow pulled out her full game face and sank her fangs into her own wrist.

The Cyclops threw Buffy into a row of lockers and Xander charged at him with his knife but the Cyclops moved aside and knocked Xander down. Willow grabbed the Cyclops by his hair and pulled him back. The Cyclops looked back at its target and she had a big bloated mouth. Willow spat her blood all over the Cyclops's face she just needed to get it in his mouth or eye and her blood will take care of the rest.

The Cyclops feels the world turning white around him. His boss told him to beware the Martian blood but he didn't listen. "You might have saved yourself for now Martian vampire but you will not save Angelus."

Willow and Buffy each had a look of concern. Xander knew what was coming next. "Go, I'll take care of uno eye."

"Are you sure?" Buffy asked.

Xander nodded. "Yeah" He replies as the Cyclops's body crumbles to pieces from exposure to Willow's blood. "See all I need now is a broom and dustpan."

* * *

><p>Buffy and Willow make a dash for Angel's apartment. They both enter and see the place is a mess. Whatever came in here Angel didn't go down without a fight. Willow looked around before realizing there was no point whatever has Angel is long gone now. She goes to the fridge and pulls out some of the pig's blood she keeps around here for herself. Killing the cyclops took a bit out of her and Buffy is starting to smell like food.<p>

Buffy spots Willow drinking the blood. It definitely gives her the wigs but she knows it has to be done to keep another incident like Harmony from happening. "So what's it taste like?"

Willow just laughed. "As far as I'm concerned it's Hawaiian Punch."

"So what happens when you don't feed?" Buffy asks Angel never answered this but maybe Willow will.

"The voice gets worse." Willow said. "It gets into your head and just screams let me out let me have it."

"I'm so sorry Will." Buffy said she knows Xander told her not to but.

Willow just smiled. "Relax Buffy it's not your fault and I'm...nowhere near over it but today helped and Angel taught me so much. He showed me how to control my powers, my bloodlust…mostly, and I'm almost as good of a fighter as him now. He's even going to start training me to start using my big vampire nose if I can ever find him."

Buffy just nodded. "Let's go back to the library maybe watcher man knows."

* * *

><p>Giles and Xander are at the library Xander found a ring in the chunks of Cyclops and gave it to the watcher. He never realized how much Giles really worked until Giles started dragging him into the library with him at 4 in the morning everyday. Xander is going through books looking for information while Puck is saying whether or not he knows the demons in the pictures.<p>

Puck pointed at the picture. "I think I dated her for a couple weeks."

Xander closed the book. "Puck I'm 2 seconds away from buying a birdcage, so how about we play a round of the quiet game?"

Puck just nods as Buffy and Willow enter. "Hey Buffy, hey Willow" Puck instantly put his hands against his mouth and turned to Xander. "That doesn't count I was talking to them."

"Any word on deadboy?" Xander asked which caused the girls to look at him funny. "What? I don't like him but he's helping Willow."

Buffy nodded no. "Whatever sent the Cyclops after us, it has Angel now."

Giles put the ring on the table. "This is the only lead we have."

Puck looks at the ring and puts on a face of fear which doesn't go past Xander.

"You know what this is don't you Puck?" Xander asked.

Puck just nodded. "They're bounty hunters called the Order of Taraka."

Xander was shocked. "How the hell do you know that?"

Puck went on to explain how for forty years him and the Skull Knight were guardians of a place called the deeper well the resting place of the dead old ones. They explained how the order was paid to extract the coffin of an old one. How each day for nearly 2 years they faced a new threat. Some were human some were not but they always worked alone. Now it seems that their target is Willow.

The scoobies make an easy enough plan. Giles will do research about enemies of Angel that could hire them, while Buffy and Xander take shifts escorting Willow around town. Xander says he'll even teach Buffy how easy it is to sneak into Willow's room since her parents are emotional deadbeats.

* * *

><p>The next morning Xander is asleep at the side of Willow's bed sword held in his arm. The teenage vampire rubbed her eyes waking up. She saw Xander asleep in the corner some guard he ended being. She moves next to Xander who wakes up.<p>

"You're not much a guardian Alexander Harris." Willow quipped.

Xander just points at her window. "I had someone on guard."

On the bottom of the window Puck is marching left to right with an army soldier's hat on.

Xander looked confused. "Where did you get the hat from?"

Puck points to the closet. "She collects Barbies."

Xander looked at the clock. '7:42' "7:42, Buffy was supposed to take over at 6."

Willow was instantly alert. "You think something happened to her."

Xander was already up and strapping his sword to his back. "I don't know, but I'm going to find out."

"And I'm coming too." Willow said.

Xander put his hand up. "No you're not."

Willow was in shock. "Why the hell not she's my best friend, if ever a friend there was."

"That's why it could all be a trap to lure you out." Xander said grabbing his sword. "Puck, follow her make sure she gets to the library."

The elf put his hand up in a salute. "Sir, yes sir"

* * *

><p>Xander makes a run to Buffy's house if anything has happened to her. He got into the house and just did the only thing he could and shouted her name.<p>

"Xander get out of here now!" Buffy shouted from the basement but it was too late.

Mealworms descend form the ceiling and onto Xander's back. Xander just quickly falls back and squishes a number of them and rolls away. Buffy opens the basement door and pulls up Xander they both go for the front door but it's surrounded by mealworms and they have no choice but to fall back to the basement.

Buffy throws Xander duct tape and he retapes the crack in the door shut. When he wished him and Buffy alone in her basement this wasn't exactly what he had in mind as he sat down with her on the steps and puts his sword down.

Buffy was catching her breath. "Are you alright."

"Dandy" Xander replied. "So what's with all the worms?"

Buffy shrugged. "I have no idea. He started off as a geeky make up salesman and he just splattered into that."

Xander rolls his eyes. "You can't be serious. We're gonna die because of a shallow need for make up you don't even need."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "You know what I am out there almost every night it's high risk, sub minimum wage, and consists mostly of sharp pointy things. So forgive me for being a girl once in a while."

Xander was surprised at Buffy's face. He'd forgotten how young she really is and how much she really wants a normal life and put his hand on her shoulder for support. "No, Buff I'm sorry. I forget how much you have put aside for others including your own life once. I had no right to come down on you like that."

Buffy nodded. "It's fine but what we really need is a way out of here."

Xander pointed to his sword. "How about the 6 foot sword I attack demons with?"

Buffy pouted. "Your sword is not going to cut it I spent 20 minutes hacking into him with an axe no good."

Xander was going through his options. He had nothing. "We're going to die here aren't we?"

Buffy shrugged unless she can think of something she's leaning towards yes. "Unless we can think of a way out, it's likely."

Xander just shrugged he wonders if being killed by this guy will be as painful as bleeding out was.

Buffy put on a sad face. "I'm sorry Xander."

Xander was confused. "About what?"

Buffy just pointed up. "The plague man, The Master, Spike, every other demon I guess there is a reason the slayer isn't supposed to have friends they bring them down with them when they die."

Xander just looked at her. "Wow, that's a load of crap."

"Excuse me" Buffy replied.

"That's a load of crap!" Xander shouted.

Buffy was trying to control her anger. "If this thing kills us I got you killed because you were trying to protect m-"

"I chose to come here." Xander cut her off. "Just like I chose to go down in the sewers after Jessie that day. Most teenagers are concerned about acne we fought the demons of hell and kicked their sorry butts back to it. We have saved the world twice and saved god knows how many people on random nights. If this is it there is no where else I want to be right now then here with you."

Buffy regained her resolve. "Screw this we're going to live and if not." She grabbed Xander and kissed him. Xander was wondering what to do. Is he dead already? Is this a dream? No if this was a dream naked Buffy would be kissing him. He realized that it's real. Not wasting time he kissed her back. The two teens broke apart and Xander realized they need to have a talk before they do that again not that he didn't enjoy it.

Buffy went down the basement with Xander and started looking for weapons. Xander was looking through a box called Hemery. To his surprise he pulled out a lighter with a cross engraved into it.

Xander shows the lighter to Buffy. "You want to explain this one Buff."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Belonged to a guy I knew in LA."

Xander just tested and smiled seeing that it still works. "Any fun stories using it."

Buffy just smiled thinking back. "I know what to do. Trick I used in Hemery."

Xander came out the basement ready for a fight. "Hey maggot man why don't you fight like a man and not a set of worms."

Xander watched on as all the worms descended from the ceiling and eventually transformed into a man that would look rather harmless to human eyes.

Maggot man just let out a creepy smile. "The Cerberus knight and the slayer double the bounty I can collect."

Xander pulls out his sword ready for a fight. He charges and splits maggot man's head like a melon.

Xander pulls his sword out and watches as the man tries to put himself together. At this Buffy comes through the basement door. She pulls out the lighter and lights it. She then pulls out a can of aerosol hairspray making a flamethrower. She douses maggot man in flames until his body breaks down into a heap of worms. Buffy continues the fire assault and the mealworms burn to ash. Xander looks at the ring and realizes they just scorched another member of the Order of Taraka.

Buffy looks at the ring in Xander's hand and says "I guess Will and Angel aren't the only targets."

Xander just smiled. "Nope we all are. So who did we all piss off as a group?"

Buffy shrugs. "We piss people off on a daily basis Xander."

Xander just nods in agreement he had 7 death threats this week and it's only Tuesday. "Let's go to the library maybe Giles has a better idea."

Buffy just nods in agreement. "Giles would keep a list."

* * *

><p>Buffy and Xander make it to the library and see Willow right outside. Now that the adrenaline of nearly dieing wore off Buffy is going to have to deal with what she and Xander did.<p>

"Willow what are you doing out here?" Buffy asked.

Willow shrugged. "I don't know I tried to walk in and Giles told me to get out. He really yelled at me too." Willow pouts never seeing Giles so angry with her.

"Don't worry it's when he takes off the glasses and goes into tranquil fury that you have to worry." Xander quips.

Buffy was short tempered at that. She barges in and Xander follows. They see Giles with a Jamaican girl with Puck hiding under the table.

"Giles, are you going to introduce us to your friend?" Buffy asked.

The girl introduced herself. "I am Kendra de vampire slayer."

* * *

><p>Author Notes<p>

Thanks to everyone who is suddenly following and favoriting The Bet and this story.

This chapter of the story was split up in two and odds are the next one will be too.

Up Next: The gang tries to rescue Angel and just who shot the mayor anyway?


	5. Pain and Punishment

There's moments in your life that make you, that set the course of who you're gonna be. Sometimes they're little, subtle moments. Sometimes...they're not.

* * *

><p>Xander sat there in surprising calm at the announcement of another slayer. Buffy on the other hand was not. Being the slayer was her thing she doesn't know who this Kendra is but she can't be the slayer. Buffy's the slayer.<p>

Xander looks at the new girl. "So who are you?"

Kendra repeated herself. "I am Kendra de slayer. I have no last name."

"Wow can you say stuck in the 80's and she can't be the slayer, I'm the dam slayer." Buffy quipped.

Xander looked at the two and a painful face formed at the memory as the realization sunk in. "You're both slayers."

Buffy glared at Xander. "The only way she could be a slayer would be if I …oh." Buffy realizes what Xander means. "But it was only a minute."

Xander shrugged. "I guess dead is dead Buff. No offense."

Kendra stares on at confusion. "What are you two talking about?"

Giles catches on with what Buffy and Xander were talking about. "She drowned, but she was revived."

"So there really are two of them." Willow says from the hallway.

Xander fights the urge not to laugh. "Can we please let Willow in?"

Giles nods and opens the door he kept Willow away because he thought Kendra was another assassin. Kendra looks at the girl and feels uneasy. Something about the red head is off. If Kendra didn't know any better she'd swear she was a vampire but it's too early and too sunny.

Willow went to the computer and finished her search for Angel's enemies. She got an idea. "Daniel Holtz"

"Died over a hundred years ago." Giles informed her.

Xander was in thought. "How about Dark Soul some of those entries might be about deadboy and his enemies."

Willow thought about it and typed it in she has nothing better to go on anyway. "Over 3,000 matches 4 of them are about Angel and oh." Willow smiled seeing Xander and Angel has something in common. "2 are about the Black Swordsman."

Xander's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He made the research material but he has the same nickname as Angel. He goes to the computer. "Let me see that." He looks at the first incident and groans. "Oh come on those were demonic elves."

Xander looked up and saw confused looks between Kendra and Giles. "I'd wager."

Xander kept reading the second incident. He has no excuse for that one the eclipse just ended and he wanted to kill a demon he didn't care who got in the way. "So what do we do?"

Giles was the first to speak up. "I believe you and Buffy have to go. Law Enforcement meeting and Snyder is on the prowl."

The Slayer and the swordsman rolled their eyes in all the excitement of wormy they forgot. Xander took wormy's ring out of his pocket and threw it to Giles. "Buff barbequed another assassin." The two proceeded out the door.

Giles looked to Xander. "Xander"

"Yeah G-man"

"Sword"

Xander felt his back and realized it was still strapped on. He removed the strap off his waist and the blade falls to the floor. "Thanks" He says as he exits the door.

Kendra looked at the sword and wondered. "How does he swing tat ting."

Giles shrugged Xander lives with him and he really didn't know either. "He just does."

* * *

><p>They are on their way to career day when Buffy makes a sudden stop at the broom closet and throws Xander in. She gets in herself and quickly closes the door.<p>

"We need to talk!" The two say in union.

Xander was confused by that "Um…ladies first."

Buffy started though now she wonders what Xander has to talk to her about. "How do you feel about Willow?"

Xander didn't know what to say. "Willow is well Willow fangs and all she's still Will."

"No, no, no, I meant Willow as girl." Buffy replied.

Xander nodded as it clicked. "You mean would I ever date Willow?"

Buffy nodded.

Xander pouted. "I'm not blind I know Will has a thing for me but I just don't feel that way about her. She's like a sister you know."

Buffy shook her head in understanding. "Do you think that could ever change?"

Xander nodded his head no. "Not really save for higher powers or the idea of evil getting involved."

Buffy frowned a little for Willow and what's this idea of evil?. "Good thing you didn't tell her about the sister bit. That's like the ultimate soul crushing defeat to a girl. So what do you want to tell me?"

Xander took a deep breath ready for the ass kicking or whatever Buffy does to him for this. He has it coming. "Do you remember when I was possessed by the hyena pack?"

Buffy nods not going to forget that he ate a pig raw.

"So do I." Xander muttered out. "I didn't have the guts to tell you before and I'm thankful for desks."

Buffy realized that he told her this to put the ball in her court. She can do whatever she wants now. She decides to give him one quick jab to the face causing Xander to wince and put pressure on his nose. "You're an idiot."

Xander moves his hand no blood and she didn't break anything. "I know."

"I wouldn't have cared." Buffy replied. "And besides I have plenty of desks on hand if you try again."

"I'd never ever of my own free will do-" Xander's rant was brought to halt as the slayer put her finger over his mouth.

"We've all done crazy things under a spell that we regret." Buffy says as she touches the scar above Xander's nose that's her regret coming very close to killing him if the blade had gone in deep. "So don't worry about it. Anything else you want to tell me."

Xander thought about it no that was it. "I can't think of a thing."

"Well I have one last thing." Buffy said wrapping her arms behind Xander's neck.

"What's that?" Xander asked.

"I want to be the one that tells Willow about...this" Buffy said. "Your not exactly good with words considering the sister thing." The two share a quick kiss before Snyder comes looking.

* * *

><p>The two go to the law enforcement booth and sign in. The red headed female officer takes the clipboard and starts saying names. "Buffy Summers"<p>

Buffy puts her hand up and the officer puts down her clipboard and pulls out her gun set to aim it at Buffy. Xander however grabs her hand and smashes it into the locker a couple times forcing her to drop it. The officer pulls out a hidden knife and nearly slashes Xander across the arm. Buffy pushed her into the locker and the officer swung at her but Buffy was a vastly better fighter dodging until she had the chance to kick the knife out of the cop's hand and kicking her hard knocking her back into lockers and onto the floor. The officer pulled out another gun and aimed at Buffy who was too far away to do anything. Xander ran in front of her and waited for the inevitable.

BANG

Buffy and Xander watched as someone took one hell of a shot and shot the second gun out of the officer's hand. Buffy and Xander each grabbed one of the officer's arms and Buffy noticed the Order of Taraka's ring on her finger. They turned around saw of all people Jonathon Levinson holding the gun that Xander knocked out of the assassin's hands. He was the one who took the shot.

"Nice shooting Tex." Xander quipped.

Buffy was amazed at that shot. "How did you do that?"

Jonathon was nervous but said. "I'll explain everything in the library."

* * *

><p>Buffy, Willow, Xander, and Giles all sat in shock as Jonathon finished telling his story.<p>

Xander was still trying to wrap his head around this. "Let me get this straight. On Halloween you took the gun I was going to buy to be a soldier and turned yourself into the friggin Punisher."

Jonathon nodded. "Snyder strong armed me into chaperoning and I already had the costume from Comic Con just needed a gun which I got from Ethan's."

Buffy can't believe this was she the only one that picked something stupid for Halloween. "And now you have the skills and marksmanship of the Punisher."

Willow had her share to add. "Why did you shoot the mayor in the face with a shotgun?"

Jonathon knew it was going to come back to that. "Because he was planning to kill us all during graduation. He would have turned into a demon and ate us."

Xander was shocked of all the cruel things to do. "You mean to tell me even when we made it through 4 years of this hell he was going to kill us anyway."

Jonathon nodded.

"That son of a bitch what kind of sick weirdo was he." Xander said he can't believe he was going to be a sacrifice so a human can become a demon…again.

At this point Kendra finished her time with the police officer whom they learned is named Patrice. "I don't tink she knows anyting."

Giles takes over for the new slayer but Kendra doubts he'll get anything from her. 20 seconds later they hear Patrice from the other room. "I'll talk I'll talk."

The scoobies including Jonathon and Kendra ran into the room.

"What happened?" Willow asked.

Giles was just putting his glasses back on. "She got chatty."

Patrice breathed and asked. "Can you untie me with 6 people here I'm not exactly going to get away."

Buffy unties her and in an unspoken conversation with eyes makes it clear if she tries to run Buffy will beat her to death.

Buffy looks at her. "So who hired you?"

Patrice glared at her. "It was a vampire her name is Drusilla."

Willow can't believe it Angel was right. "She set me up didn't she?"

"If you're the Martian vampire yes. She wanted the slayer to kill you and watch you tear yourself apart in guilt."

Willow's eyes went red. All the hell she put herself through since they found Harmony's body she owes Drusilla pain. She quickly regained her calm. "Why did you kidnap Angel?"

"Drusilla needed him alive for a ritual to restore herself to full power."

Xander was confused at that she seems pretty lucid to avoid the scoobies and send assassin's after them. "She seems in control and powerful at the moment."

"It's a temporary cure. She's eating the remains of someone called Spike to stay near full power."

Xander's face scrunched up. "Ugh"

Buffy's face soon matched. "I see your ugh and raise you an ewww."

Xander realizes something. "Wait, Will's blood is supernatural cyanide how the hell is she still alive."

Willow knows this from experimenting with Angel. "My blood is only lethal straight out of the vein it goes back to normal blood pretty fast."

Buffy turns to the Patrice. "Now this is the $64,000 question where are they performing this ritual?"

"The church on 3rd street but you can't stop it."

"You don't know that." Buffy said.

Patrice smiles one last time. "Me and my brethren you fought are the child's play in the order odds are Drusilla has foreseen my capture and already called in the elites, the big muchachos. I'll save you a seat in hell Slayer." Before anyone can get to her Patrice puts one hand below her jaw and another on top of her head and breaks her own neck falling over dead.

Xander just looked down, "So how are we going to hide a dead cop in the Library?"

To answer Xander's question Patrice's body turns to smoke and vanishes.

Jonathon looks at it. "Do all the demons you guys kill do that?"

Buffy shrugs. "It's usually just vampires."

Willow glares at the group. "Church now quip later."

* * *

><p>The scoobies come back in defeated and embarrassed. Patrice lied. So instead of finding Angel and getting into a massive drag out brawl with Drusilla they instead…stormed a baptism.<p>

Buffy starts off. "I've never been so embarrassed in my life."

"Well at least we got free holy water." Willow quipped.

Xander leaned against the bookcage. "Will we stormed a baptism. Those kids will be scarred for lives."

Giles was washing his glasses. "Not likely they were only infants."

"and Jonathon got blessed by tat priest." Kendra added.

"He was choking me." Jonathon replied.

Willow recatches her resolve. "Maybe we should look up a sire thing. Angel told me he was the one who made her."

Xander rolls his eyes. "That guy got serious neck in his day."

Xander looks over to Kendra. "You Ok new girl?"

Kendra responded nervously. "Y-yes s-sir." She looks down at her feet.

The rest of the day and some of the night was spent looking into Vampire rituals until they found the one they were looking for. Using the life force of a sire a vampire can be restored to health. They require a cross of DuLac and to meet at the Dulac Church. Now that they have a place they call Cordelia as the sun is down and they need a ride to get there quicker.

* * *

><p>Xander and Cordelia follow Jonathon up to the clocktower and see quite the array of weapons. Really shows how no one pays attention in Sunnydale.<p>

"It's always the quiet ones." Cordelia quipped.

Jonathon grabbed a pair of Ithica 37 shotguns and instructs Xander where the ammo is.

"You know we have crossbows if you're a long a distance man." Xander said bluntly.

"With a 30 second reload time and a one bullet clip." Jonathon said holding up a gun. "This is just as dangerous as a cross bow if misused it's just more effective. But if you insist on using medieval weapons I suggest switching to a longbow."

Xander comprehends in his head that he just got smacked down by Jonathon of all people. He goes to where Jonathon said the bullets were and opens the box and pulls out green shells.

"I thought shotgun shells were red?" Xander asked.

Jonathon picks them up and loads his guns. "They're custom rounds."

"Can I have a gun?" Cordelia asked.

Xander and Jonathon's eyes shot up in horror. Jonathon went into the pile and gave her a tazer and a stake. "You can have a gun when you learn how to shoot."

* * *

><p>The scoobies get to the DuLac church with an array of weapons. Buffy has a sword and crossbow after repeatedly shooting down Jonathon's offers. Kendra has an Axe. Xander has his sword, The knife from the Cyclops, and Puck. Willow has a katana that she and Angel modified so it can take blood from her resembling the sword she used on Halloween. Johnathon had one of the Ithaca shotguns and a pair of desert eagles. Giles had the other Ithaca and a stake. Last was Cordelia with a tazer, stake, and cross strapped around her neck.<p>

They enter the library and see Drusilla a picture of health and a half dead Angel at her feet. Along with three new assassins. A ninja in a gray and silver thing that looks like battle armor half his face resembles a robot and the other half resembles a blond long haired girl. On the other side was a demon from the looks of it. Green skin, long red hair with a big red scar across his chest wearing nothing but a pair of shorts he growled at the scoobies. Standing in the middle was an 8ft tall ogre more beast than man. He had red and black eyes black hair and with all the muscles he was built like a brick wall with a sword as big as Xander's.

Puck was terrified. "Xander the one in the middle is-"

"I know." Xander cuts him off.

"You can't beat-"

"I know." Xander repeats. "Besides I don't have to beat him I just have to keep him busy so he doesn't transform."

Drusilla smiled. "All the lambs have come to the slaughter."

Angel spoke up weakly. "She already completed the ritual get out of here."

Drusilla kicked him in the face knocking him out. "Bad daddy"

Willow let out a growl. "Drusilla is mine."

Xander stares at the thing from his past. "I'll take the ogre."

Kendra stared at the demon. "I will fight de green one."

"Ninja Barbie is fine with me." Buffy quipped.

Jonathon nodded. "We'll deal with the other vampires."

Everyone started fighting their opponents. Jonathon saw two vampires running for him. He aimed right at the middle and fired. His shotgun releases a wave of little metal crucifixes and fire instantly incinerating the two vamps. He pumps the gun and fires at another definitely better than a crossbow. Giles was calmly using his shotgun to a similar effect. Cordelia made a unique strategy of tazing vamps where it hurt, or getting them in the neck then staking them while they were twitching.

* * *

><p>Kendra was fighting the feral demon. She grabbed it but the demon let electricity course through its body shocking her. Kendra quickly let go and kicked it in the face. The demon jumped at her and wrapped its hands under its legs turning itself into a human canon ball. Kendra ducked under and the demon scratched her from behind tearing up her shirt.<p>

Kendra looked at the damage and went into a rage. "Tis my favorite shirt. Tis my only shirt."

Kendra delivered one stiff kick to the demon's head and it wobbled over a pew. She jumped over and took several quick swings of her axe and the demon was no more. She knew how dangerous the Order of Taraka was.

Willow is doing her best against Drusilla. However it ends up she's more dangerous than Spike is. Willow went for a couple swings with her sword but Drusilla dodged it. The vampire countered with a punch to Willow's gut knocking her down.

Xander charged the ogre sword drawn. Xander took a swing with his sword and the ogre took one of his own. Xander quickly changed his sword to defend himself and was knocked into wall hard.

'He hits even harder I remember.' Xander thought to himself as he pulls himself to his feet. The ogre stood impressed. It has been decades since someone has successfully dodged one his attacks. When Xander got to his feet the ogre took another swing at him. With impressive speed Xander ducked under and ran to the other side of the pews. The ogre roared and moved the pew away with impressive strength. Xander bolted and the ogre gave chase just as Xander hoped he would.

Buffy was fighting the ninja in a sword fight. They fought to a stalemate however the ninja's sword was built of stronger material and Buffy's sword cracked under pressure.

The ninja took a swing and Buffy ducked under finally giving her an opening. The slayer swung the sword and cut the ninja across the chest. Two things happened. The sword cut the ninja and this white puss came out instead of blood and Buffy's sword broke before it could go in deep enough. The ninja swung a punch that Buffy caught and countered with a punch of her own and a kick. The ninja went for a spin kick but Buffy caught its foot high and kicked it below the belt. To Buffy's surprise despite the long blond hair the ninja is a guy. Buffy put her arms around the ninja's neck while he tried to recover and kept squeezing and turning until something broke and the ninja fell down dead.

Buffy surveyed the field and saw Kendra, Jonathon, Giles, and Cordy on clean up. Willow was fighting Drusilla while Xander was on the run from the ogre swordsman. Buffy took the ninja's sword and went to attack the ogre.

Xander saw Buffy sneaking up on him and yelled quickly. "No, Buffy help Willow."

The ogre turned to her and Buffy looked right back at him before turning to Xander. "He'll kill you."

Xander nodded his head no. "No he won't. Now go help Willow."

Buffy nodded and went to the redhead. The ogre turned back to the boy in a smile and talked. "Honorable move boy to keep fighting one on one. I would have hated to have our duel interrupted."

Willow knicked her finger and blood poured down her sword. She ran up to run Drusilla through her sword but the vampire caught the redhead by the throat.

"Look at me dearie." She waves two fingers in front of Willow putting her under her spell.

"Be…in my eyes…be…in me."

Drusilla moves around and Willow follows her stare. Drusilla takes Willow's sword off her and in one swift movement of her other hand cuts the red heads throat and then runs her through with her own sword watching Willow fall to the floor.

A loud clang is heard as Xander and the ogre's swords clash one last time as Xander's sword breaks in half. Xander just looks at his broken sword in disgust and throws it aside. "Piece of crap"

Xander pulls out his knife and stares down the ogre one last time before speaking in a whisper. "It's been an honor."

Puck just silently nodded. "Same here."

Xander rushed the ogre in one last move until it kneeled down in pain. Xander looks behind him and sees Kendra and her axe handle in the Ogre's back pulling it out. Oh god she didn't.

Xander looked at the other slayer. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I tink tat I'm saving your life." The slayer responded.

The ogre let out a laugh. "It has been centuries since a mortal has cut me so deeply."

Xander grabs the sharp broken end of his sword in his hands he has to finish this now. He gets the creature's attention away from Kendra by saying his true name. "Zodd!"

Zodd turns around and sees Xander rushing him. How does the boy know that name he hasn't it used since the battle of Acathla. Zodd swings his sword down and Xander swings his broken blade across. Zodd's sword breaks and he is in shock.

"That attack." Zodd exclaims he remembers seeing it before. Xander quickly stabs Zodd with his sword but the demon stops it from going in deep and starts transforming.

"Kendra get the others out now." Xander shouts.

Kendra won't leave Xander behind because she's watching Zodd transform. Zodd finished his transformation and he was twice as tall as he already was and now resembled a Minotaur with a lion's head covered in brown fur. One horn on top of his head the other was lost centuries ago.

Xander just looks at Kendra. "For the record I was trying to keep this from happening."

Zodd let out a smile. "So you know who I am."

Xander just looked at him. "Zodd the Immortal aka god of the battlefield. In truth however you were the godhand's mindless puppet."

Zodd glared at Xander as his blood boiled over. "You dare."

Xander looked at him. "I call it as I see it. You went from badass immortal icon of death to giving a princess a ride in her bed. You did that today there'd be a Disney song about it."

Zodd was furious how does the boy know all this. "I will tear you apart."

Zodd rushed and started punching and clawing through the church just trying to kill the boy. Xander was dodging for all he's worth.

Kendra looked on shocked she doesn't even know which one she's saying this about. "Tat man is psychotic."

Buffy ran up and saw Willow unconscious. She's stuck between the proverbial rock and hard place. She looks on seeing Xander run from a friggin Minotaur and teasing it as he goes. Buffy makes a choice seeing Xnader can take car of himself she runs up to Willow but Drusilla stops her.

"Look at me dearie."

Buffy just punches her in the face and quips. "Better vampires have tried." Buffy connected with two more punches square on Drusilla's chin.

Xander quickly realizes he has no more ground to run to. Puck stands ready to flash Zodd. Then the worst thing happened. Kendra went to attack Zodd again. Zodd was amused the first time but not anymore how dare this girl interfere in his fight with the boy. Zodd turned around and lowered his head. Kendra tried to stop herself in time but she was running too fast. Xander jumped on Zodd's back to try to stop it and pull the demon's horn up but no good. Kendra was impaled on the demon's horn. Xander jumped over Zodd and pulled Kendra off before he could raise his head up.

Buffy was fighting Drusilla and heard Kendra scream. She turned to see Xander had her in his arms laying her down on a pew so Puck could heal her. Buffy wasted no time. She grabbed Drusilla and threw her down hard into a pew smashing it to pieces. Drusilla is down for now. Buffy pulls the sword out of Willow so she can heal. And takes the ninja sword. She runs over to Xander and throws him the ninja sword. Xander catches it and the swordsman and the slayer are ready to fight.

Zodd just looks on intrigued as Xander whispers something to Buffy. The two teens rush the apostle as he awaits their approach. At the last second Buffy and Xander split up Buffy going to the left and Xander going to the right. In two quick swings Buffy and Xander each cut off one of Zodd's arms.

The apostle howls out and Xander shouts. "Guys get the wounded we're leaving."

Xander picks up Kendra, Giles picks up Willow and Buffy puts Angel over her shoulders and they go for the door.

Once outside Buffy shouts at Xander for making them run away. "Why did you?"

Buffy was cut off as the roof exploded. Zodd sprouted wings and had reattached his arms with Drusilla held in one of his hands. The acolyte shouts down now knowing who the boy is from that last attack. "Next time, we will finish our fight Black Swordsman."

Xander looked to the sky with smoldering hatred at the acolyte for what he's done tonight. "Count on it Zodd!"

Giles, Jonathon, Cordy, and Angel are looking over Willow whom is pale white no surprise considering all the blood she's lost tonight.

Giles turns to Angel. "Is she?"

Angel just nods no seeing her wounds have healed. "She's still alive but she should stay at my apartment tonight because the hunger is going to drive her insane when she wakes up."

"Any idea what Drusilla is up to now?" Giles asked since she still has one Taraka assassin at her side.

Angel nodded. "Something about with 6 pieces of blue daddy will come home."

Jonathon, Giles, and Cordy turn their attention to Kendra. Xander puts her down noticing Puck hasn't healed her yet. "Puck what's taking so long?"

Puck just frowns he knows he just didn't want to admit it. "There's just too much damage for me to heal in time. I'm sorry."

Kendra just tried to smile through pain. "It's ok Xander it's part of te job. Where's Buffy?"

Buffy kneeled down next to the dieing slayer. "I'm here I'm right here."

Kendra tries to weakly reach for a stake but doesn't have the strength to. Xander sees it and gets it for her and puts it in her hand. Kendra holds the stake out to Buffy. "Tis my favorite stake…I call it Mr. Pointy."

"I'll ram it through Drusilla's heart." Buffy vows.

Kendra feels the world going white around her. "T-tell Mr. Zabuto I tried." She turns to the others finally losing the slayer faced. "I'm cold." Kendra eyes lose their lust for life as a white light appears to her it consumes her making her feel like for the first time she has found peace and feels at home.

Xander pulled Buffy into a hug seeing she was upset. Hell they all were upset as they gathered around Kendra's body.

Cordelia didn't know what to say or do so she asked. "So what do we do now?"

* * *

><p>Bottom line is, even if you see 'em coming, you're not ready for the big moments.<p>

No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does. So what are we, helpless? Puppets? No. The big moments are gonna come. You can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you are.

* * *

><p>Author's Notes<p>

Thanks for the reviews

Regards to Jonathon. The whole betverse started as a simple idea. Make a Halloween fic not about Xander. Needless to say I failed horribly. The bet was originally just going to be Guts doing his thing on Halloween Night and reverting into a blood soaked Jonathon whom passes out from shock. However when I remembered the anime and the manga I kept going back to similarities to Xander I realized it had to be him. So I decided I would give Jonathon something in the sequel.

Buffy is owned by Numfar it's why he does the dance of joy.

Berserk is owned by Kentaro 'Lazy Bastard' Miura

Blood+ is owned by Katsuji Morishita see not me.

The Punisher is owned by Disney. Still trying to wrap my head around that.

Up next: A time skip to Buffy's birthday.


	6. Surprise

Xander sat in the car with Buffy and Ms. Calendar. It's been an interesting month to say the least. The scoobies in mass found out that the council doesn't even bury orphan slayers they just leave them in an incinerator. They waited for a newborn to rise and had their own funeral for Kendra in its plot. Willow recovered from Drusilla's attack though she drank a week's worth of Angel's pig blood to do it. Buffy offered some slayer blood but Willow shot her down saying she might not be able to stop herself if she starts still scared about what she did to Harmony even if she didn't kill her. Ms. Calendar took Giles back after shooting him in the ass with a crossbow while he Puck and Xander were patrolling trying out another sword that Xander broke over a demon's head. Xander only regrets that he didn't have a video camera at the time so he could show Buffy, Willow, Cordy and Jonathon. It would make a nice show and rest considering the scoobies are all busting their butts off most of the time getting ready for the inevitable day when Drusilla returns.

Buffy was sitting back enjoying the day. No slayer visions no anything. Just a peaceful car ride with her boyfriend in the back and her watcher's girlfriend driving them to the Bronze from the looks of it. Giles and Ms. Calendar are the only ones that know about her and Xander and that was because Giles and Ms Calendar entered Giles' apartment making out while Buffy and Xander were making out on the couch. She knows its wrong not to tell Willow and she has a spot saved for her in a very special part of hell. It's just every time Buffy tries to tell the young vampire things go screwy.

* * *

><p><strong>3 Weeks Ago<strong>

Buffy Xander and Willow were sitting at the Summers kitchen table. Xander was wishing it was a demon at this point. Instead it was Joyce's new boyfriend. Xander looks down at the mini pizza. It's tempting but no he'll play supportive secret boyfriend and only eat it when Buffy does. Buffy turns to the red head seeing her happy and decides this might be a good time and get her mind off the guy from 1957.

"Willow can I talk to you?" Buffy asked.

Willow smiled. "You can talk to me about anything Buff you know that."

Buffy wondered how long that smile would last until it is replaced by Willow trying to bite her. "Will I don't know how to-"

Willow stopped her by putting her hand up and wrapped her hands around Ted's head. The red head twisted until Ted's head popped off revealing sparks from his neck as his body fell down.

"What did you do that for?" Buffy asked.

"No heartbeat and no blood. I didn't know what he was but it wasn't human." Willow defended herself. She stared at Ted's head interested by the wiring.

"Willow, how about a nice game of Parcheesi." Ted asks as sparks come out of his head and he shuts down.

The scoobies are brought out of their morbid curiosity by a glass shattering. Buffy looks over and saw her mother in shock at Buffy's best friend holding her boyfriend's head.

The scoobies called in Giles, Angel, and Jonathon and the whole team fielded her questions. Joyce was in shock and refused to believe it and was set to commit Buffy again until Angel and Willow show her their far less popular faces. Joyce had to face the unfortunate truth and begged Buffy for forgiveness for locking her up in LA when she first became the Slayer. So Buffy never got to talk to Willow after that revelation and the next day Joyce thanked Willow when Police discovered multiple dead bodies in Ted's home all of whom looked like her.

**2 Weeks Ago**

Buffy, Cordy, Jonathon, Xander and Willow are in bio lab dissecting their egg projects/mind control bugs. Buffy asks Xander to take Jonathon and Cordy elsewhere which he complies to. What Buffy doesn't see however is once out the door Jonathon leaves and Cordy shocks Xander in the back with her tazer.

Buffy is nervous but better to find out from her then the rumor mill. "Will I need to-?"

Willow looks up from the microscope and then clocks Buffy with it knocking her out.

* * *

><p>So no she hasn't told Willow yet. But she will just not near anything or anybody. Buffy looks around and yeah this definitely seems like the Bronze.<p>

"Are we going to the Bronze?" Buffy asks.

Jenny just shrugged trying not to get caught. "I don't know Rupert just gave me an address."

Buffy turns to Xander seeing if he knows anything. He has been the best part of this month he knows Buffy's the slayer so she doesn't have to make excuses. She was a little worried about how often he's been hitting the gym since Kendra's death and hoped it wasn't a Teutonic guy thing. Xander assured her it had to do more with him than anything else and he actually likes a stronger girl. Buffy doesn't mind the gym time now as she gets wrapped in his well toned arms when they're alone.

Xander looks at his girlfriend and still can't believe how he got so lucky to be like this with Buffy. Xander sees her inquisitive look and puts his hands up. "I have no idea where Jenny is taking us." He lied but it's harmless…hopefully and for a good reason.

Buffy knows he's lying but considering what today is she figures there's a party with her name on it at the Bronze. She turns to the windows and sees a vampire carrying a wooden box. She gets Xander's attention and he sees it as well. They get Ms. Calendar to pull over and go to confront the box vamp and are ambushed by several other vamps. Ms. Calendar just sighs this was going nothing like the plan.

* * *

><p>Inside the Bronze Giles, Cordelia, Willow, Angel, and Jonathon have the birthday party set up and are just currently waiting for the birthday girl. Jonathon's by the punch, Cordelia is looking for the best hiding spot, and Giles is concerned that he gave Jenny the wrong address considering he doesn't usually come here. The two vampires broke off from the rest of the group.<p>

This was actually incredibly nervous for Willow. She was fine when she was training but in private her feelings for her adoptive sire had changed. Almost losing him to Drusilla and losing Kendra a slayer really pounded home the message that nothing is unkillable or forever. She can't wait for Xander anymore and honestly she doesn't want to because she'll have to see him grow old and die.

Angel looked at his adoptive childe. "How's your scent training coming along?"

Willow didn't know what to say. "Pretty good. I can easily smell all the gun powder on Jonathon but I have a hard time with his blood."

Angel nods. "He has anemia it's probably why a vampire girl hasn't made a quick meal of him."

Willow looks at him and can't tell if he's serious or joking. "Cordelia…well I know it sounds bad but I want to take her out back and give her a suck job she smells so good."

"It will pass." Angel assures her having the same feeling shortly before Halloween.

Willow looked at him kind of sad she sees Cordelia like that. "Promise"

Angel nods looking at how much the shy redhead has had to change since Halloween.

Willow looks to Giles. "He smells like tea but at least it's not whiskey since him and Ms. Calendar got together."

Angel smirked enjoying her sense of humor. "What about Buffy and Xander?" He wants to know what she smells on the boy.

Willow shrugs. "I don't know. They both smell so familiar I can't pull one from the other."

Angel grew a face of concern but he'll need to see Buffy or Xander to know for certain he blew it off since they've all been spending so much time together but he has a good idea of why they smell so similar to a newborn vampire.

Angel's face goes past Willow as she's trying to think of how to ask this question she's not as shy as she used to be becoming a vampire changed that but she can still be nervous. "Um Angel w-would you want to go out with me sometime g-get a cup of coffee."

Willow held her head down waiting for a response.

"Are you asking me out on a date?" Angel asked.

Willow put her hands up. "N-no I'm asking you out for coffee it's a caffeinated beverage that's kind of like a date we might need to bring our own blood and wheat-a-bix for flavor though."

Angel smiles she's so cute when she's nervous. "I'd like that but what about that boy you met on career day."

Willow just smiled the hard part was over. "You mean Oz. We held hands once and I wanted so bad to sink my teeth into his wrist my game face came out. It won't work. Besides you're the one I asked."

* * *

><p>Before Angel could reply a vampire was sent crashing through the window Buffy running in after him stake in hand as she plunged it into his heart turning him into dust. Angel took one smell of Buffy and knew she and Xander were together now but why wouldn't she tell Willow.<p>

All the scoobies looked at her and said. "Surprise!"

Buffy just smiled she knew this was what Xander and Jenny were up to. Xander walked in with a brown box and hid it under the table. He wants Buffy to enjoy her party and not send Giles into research mode. Jenny just gives a silent nod of agreement as she comes in.

Buffy sits down and they get right to her favorite part as she looks at the pile. "All these prezzies for me?"

Buffy opens Jonathon's first seeing the boy is ecstatic. Buffy thinks he's never really had any friends until the Order of Taraka showed up. Buffy opens it and instantly falls in love with it. Well the slayer in her falls in love with it. Buffy pulls out a crossbow with a red body and a clip full of about 50 crossbow bolts. Buffy aims it at the wall and squeezes the trigger as three crossbow bolts shoot out.

Buffy just smiles. "Hello long distance fatalities." She turns to the short black haired boy. "Thank you Jonathon."

Jonathon smiled wider than even Buffy. "You're welcome Buffy."

Xander just looks at the weapon. "So that's what happened to the gasoline powered nail gun that disappeared in wood shop. Remind me to never get on your bad side."

"Well I needed parts." Jonathon defended himself.

Buffy opens her present from Willow and it is the most beautiful thing she has ever seen. Homework, most of the assignments she missed thanks to slayer detail they were already done all Buffy had to do was write her name in black ink.

Buffy opened what Cordelia got her a few skirts. She got a book of sonnets and poems from Angel. And a hundred dollar gift card from Giles and Jenny to that place Giles dredges he believes it's called the mall. Xander got her a stupid vampire movie where they sparkle in sunlight but she suspects she'll get something else from him in private, or Xander will be walking funny for a week.

Buffy and Xander broke away from the party for a moment of privacy. Xander wished her a happy birthday and kissed her and gave her another present like Buffy thought he would. Buffy opens the small box and sees a locket with a heart on it. Buffy admired it. The thing was beautiful.

"I didn't know what to get you." Xander said shyly he was never good at gifts in either life.

"It's beautiful." Buffy assured him.

Buffy gave him a quick kiss but was broken up by someone clearing his throat, Angel.

Buffy quickly pushes Xander aside and turns to the vampires. "That wasn't what it looked like."

"How about the rest of the month?" Angel asked.

Buffy looked at him and knows they're busted. "How long have you known."

"Just tonight." Angel told the two. "You're scents are all over each other."

Buffy had a look of terror knowing what Willow is learning. "Oh god does Willow know?"

Angel shook his head no. "Not a clue are you going to tell her."

Buffy nodded. "First thing tomorrow can you be there when I do. Last time I tried to tell her she knocked me unconscious with a microscope."

Angel smirked at the picture in his head. "Yeah sure just set it up at my apartment."

* * *

><p>Buffy went to find Willow.<p>

Willow noticed Buffy and now reality sinks in realizing she has to tell the slayer of her coffee with the ex. "Hey Buff happy birthday."

Buffy nodded and took the compliment. "Thanks, so Will can I talk to you tomorrow early in the morning at Angel's its kind of private."

Willow nodded seeing whatever is on the slayer's mind is important. "Sure I need to talk to you too anyway in private I mean."

"Hey Buffy missed a present." Cordelia said pulling the wooden box out.

Xander rolled his eyes. "No she didn't we were just trying to avoid research on a birthday." Xander said

Giles glared at him. "Can it be opened?"

Buffy picks the box up. "There's a latch right here." She undoes the latch and opens the box as an arm comes out to choke her. Xander pulls out the knife from his waist and holds the arm down and repeatedly stabs it forcing it to release Buffy when the arm loses its grip Xander and Angel lock it back up tight in its box.

Buffy catches her breath and sees that neither Xander or Puck still haven't taken their eyes off the box. Do they know what this is? "Xander are you OK?"

Xander is still looking at the box. "Angel just how insane is Drusilla?"

"Define crazy." Angel requested not sure how to rate Drusilla's madness.

"Would she end the world if she could?" Xander asked.

Angel nodded. "If she's mad enough especially since we killed Spike."

Giles was wondering what Xander is going on about. "Xander what is the meaning of this?"

Xander finally got up from the box. "Drusilla is going to end the world with the Judge."

Buffy looked at him. "Who's the judge?"

Puck flew out of Xander's shirt and sat on his shoulder feeling his guilt. "It wasn't your fault."

Buffy looked to him. "Xander come on we need to know what we're up against here."

Giles took over from here. "An old demon brought forth to rid the earth of humanity. To separate the righteous and the wicked and burn the righteous down. A-an army was sent to kill him but they couldn't they just dismembered him."

Xander just let out an empty laugh. "You know the problem with history."

The scoobies all shrugged not having the slightest clue. It was Angel that spoke up. "It's only written by the winners."

Xander nodded. "Point for deadboy. It didn't take an entire army to slice up the judge just one man."

Buffy caught on remembering Xander also had Gut's memories. "You were the one that dismembered him."

Xander nodded. "Half that army was dead before they could even get close to him."

Giles was confused. "How could you have-?"

Xander put his hands up. "Giles I don't have the time to explain I just need you to trust me."

Giles could see that Xander was actually afraid and not sarcastic. This really is the end of the world. "So what do we do?"

Puck spoke up from here. "Keep this away form Drusilla would be Plan A."

Cordy rolled her eyes. "Running away that's our great plan."

Xander nodded. "She can't revive the judge without all six piec-" Xander rolls his eyes. "Six pieces of blue how the hell did I miss that?"

Buffy put a hand on his arm that didn't go past Cordy. "You couldn't have known Xander this was centuries ago."

Jenny turned to Angel. "You have to do it. You're the only one that can protect this thing."

"What about me?" Willow asked.

Jenny looked at her and asked sarcastically. "What, you're just gonna skip town for a few months?"

"'Months'?" Willow stuttered out. "Well I can tell my parents I'm traveling the world. They'll filefor emancipation for me probably."

Angel frowns when he realizes he's going to miss that coffee. "She's right. I gotta get this to the remotest region possible." Angel starts gesturing grandly. "I gotta catch a cargo ship to Asia, maybe trek to Nepal..."

Willow can't believe this. "Ok you know what those newfangled flying machines really are much safer than they used to be."

Angel pouted at this. "I can't fly. There's no sure way to guard against the daylight. I-I-I don't like this any more than you do. But there's no other choice."

Willow knew logically Jenny is right but she is so scared to face her vampiric nature without Angel. "When, when are you leaving?"

"Tonight. As soon as possible." Angel answered.

Jenny dug her keys out of her purse. "I'll give you a ride."

Willow goes with Jenny to see Angel off. Xander can't believe this is happening. Xander just pouts at everything first Zodd and now The Judge. Maybe Slan will come back next he'd love to see Buffy try to wrap her head around a 50 ft tall naked woman demonic goddess. Buffy notices the looks on Xander's face and is curious.

"Is this judge guy really that bad?" Buffy asked.

Xander nodded. "He's worse than anything we've ever faced before."

Buffy just tuts at Xander's last words. "You beat him as Guts and he didn't have any powers."

"I didn't beat him I got lucky." Xander muttered.

Buffy was confused. "OK then define lucky."

Xander rolls his eyes not wanting to tell Buffy about this part of him on her birthday. "There's a demon in me. It was in Guts too that's how it got into me. The thing is evil down to its core. So instead of burning me like the Judge's touch did to everyone else that went after him."

"It gave the demon free reign." Buffy caught on.

Xander sadly nodded. "Took Schierke half an hour to pull me out again. I slaughtered the other half of the army because of that thing."

Buffy takes it all in and then punches Xander in the stomach with enough strength so he can feel it.

Xander grunted through the pain. "Ow!"

"You're an idiot." Buffy tells him simply.

"Um OK." Xander says flatly.

Buffy points at him. "You live with Giles aka book man you never thought hey maybe he knows an exorcism or two."

Xander just let out an empty laugh. "The beast is a part of me. It's my own evil side on steroids. It came out that night you found me in the graveyard. It nearly took over and had me mutilate Ethan with a piece of glass until you showed up."

Buffy just smiled. "I have control over this thing."

Xander just shrugs. "You bring out the best in me. This lets me bury that thing deep. If you want to run I definitely wouldn't blame you."

Buffy just looks at him. "1 this girl was trying to date a vampire not that long ago so I'd never be scared of a little demon. 2 research has had an additional couple hundred years since the days of Guts so ask Giles." Buffy wraps her arms around his neck. "3" Buffy just kisses him and Xander is quick to return.

"Oh my god loser love. I knew there was something different about you two."

Xander and Buffy quickly break apart. Buffy can't believe this not her. Of all the people on this planet they did not get busted by Cordelia Chase.

"Cordelia this wasn't what it looked like." Buffy said.

Cordelia just looked at her. "Right you were just practicing a new slayer technique using your tongue."

"I fell into him." Buffy offered weakly. "Just don't tell Willow until I do."

Cordelia just glares at her this is grade A gossip and she already keeps the slayer thing a secret. "Tell her soon Buffy she deserves to know." Cordelia leaves the two be it's her birthday she should enjoy smoochies with her boyfriend. She's wondering why she was a little jealous. She and Xander yeah right.

Xander turns to Buffy ready to be dragged across the coals for this one. "Buffy I have to go."

Buffy can't believe this it's her birthday for god's sake. "You better have a damn good reason why."

Xander just smiled. "I do there's something I have to get back and I can't blow it off anymore with the Judge's return."

Buffy nodded. "Fine but I'm going with you."

Xander didn't want to argue so he just nodded in agreement. "Puck we're leaving."

* * *

><p>The elf followed the swordsman and the slayer out. Xander simply told him that it's time and Puck understood. Puck rubbed his little hands together and spoke in a bizarre language. Before Buffy and Xander could comprehend what was happening they were deep in a forest. Looking around Xander guesses this is where Schierke lives. He makes it to a home in the woods and realizes he's right. Buffy goes into a fighting stance sensing something to her surprise a dragon of all things flies over her head.<p>

Xander puts his hands on Buffy's hands getting her to calm down. "Ciro is fine it's his mother you would have had to worry about."

Buffy looks at him. "You're on a first name basis with a dragon?"

Xander just smirks thinking back on the day his sword got to live up to its name. "Schierke took the egg in after I cut his mother in half. My sword got to live up to its name and Schierke brainwashed another friend into a being a monkey for an hour."

Schierke just smiled at the company coming into her house sensing their ODs. "Xander, Daw…Buffy." Schierke welcomed her guests before they even got the door open and catching her slip of tongue.

"Hi Daw…Schierke." Buffy replied thinking the witch forgot her name. She was more concerned with the living skeleton sitting across the table.

Xander entered and saw the sight. Schierke and Skull Knight having a spot of tea, there's a joke in there somewhere but now is not the time. "Is it sad that this freaks me out more than any demons we faced?"

Skull Knight never took his eyes off Buffy. "Why are you here struggler?"

Xander frowned. "Zodd the Immortal has surfaced and I believe he's rebuilding the Judge. I need it back."

Buffy notices the looks Skull Knight gives her along with remembering the looks Schierke gives her. Xander was the reincarnation of Guts. Is she the reincarnation of someone? She turns to Puck. "Is he staring at me?"

Puck shrugged. "He makes everyone uncomfortable you get used to it after a while."

Buffy watched wigged out as Skull Knight put his sword in his mouth and pulled out a completely different sword that looked like it was alive with all the eyes on it. Skull Knight swung his sword of Resonance and created a hole in time and space.

Skull Knight turned to Xander. "Stick your arm in and reclaim what is rightfully yours."

Xander just sticks his arm in and feels the blistering cold. "You just had to hide it in the arctic didn't you?"

Buffy is surprised when Xander pulls out a giant black sword. No not sword more like a slab of iron with how big it was. She quickly realizes it's the sword he used on Halloween to cut a car in half and stand up to that mega demon and nearly cut him in half before he changed into a pimply faced teenager. All of the sudden the gym makes sense he needed the strength to properly wield this thing.

Xander just had a peaceful smile looking at his sword, the dragon slayer. "Honey I'm home." He took some practice swings and turned to the witch. "Schierke I'd like to stay a bit but."

"I know." The green haired witch answered. "Good luck!" The witch pulled out a bottle of blood and draws on the air making a portal to Sunnydale.

"Whoa" Buffy says in genuine surprise. "Whose blood can do that?"

Xander just smiles as he pulls her by the arm. "Don't bother she speaks in riddles about it."

* * *

><p>Xander and Buffy are back in Sunnydale and Buffy pulled away from him. Xander wonders what that was about as he makes his way to the library but realizes Buffy isn't following him.<p>

"Buffy what is it?" Xander asked concerned.

Buffy turned to him. "I need you to be completely honest with me if I mean anything to you."

Xander knows he's not going to like this but nods.

"Was I someone in your past life?" Buffy asked.

Xander was taken back but just answered. "Yes"

Buffy frowned at this it means he knew and wasn't honest with her. "Was she and Guts, you know?"

Xander had his head held down and muttered. "Yeah they were."

Buffy spun around and hit him with a backhand knocking him to the floor. "You son of a bitch, everything we've done this past month. Who was it with?" Buffy is absolutely livid never being so mad in her entire life as she is right now.

Xander got up surprised to still be conscious. "You it's always been you."

"Which me?" Buffy asks as she walks away.

"Buffy Anne Summers the woman I loved before Guts was even a Halloween idea." Xander says without an inch of doubt in his voice. "I loved you since the moment I met you Buff. And if you were the reincarnation of Farneeze, Erica, or anyone else I would have told you who you were but I couldn't do it since you were her I couldn't risk you finding your memories with Elfhelm gone."

Buffy turns around anger till residing in her eyes. "They're that bad."

Xander nodded. "You were so broken even on your best day you made Dru look like a paragon of normalcy. I was trying to protect you."

Buffy just let that statement sink in. She should have known Xander was trying to protect her. As Angel said as when they broke up it's what he does. "So how different are we?"

"About as different as me and Guts." Xander answered. "A lot of the same characteristics but completely different personalities from living different lives. I Doubt she'd even consider using a pun. Can I ask you to forgive me?"

Buffy let the anger wash off knowing it was his white knight behavior that did it. Also how different Guts and Xander are personality wise "Are you keeping anything else from me?"

"Schierke has armor that makes me immune to pain but rips my body apart and gives the beast in my head easy access to controlling me. I think that's it."

Buffy just hugged him. "I forgive you Xander but from now on be honest."

* * *

><p>They made it back to the library and found the entire Scooby gang waiting for them. Including Willow and Angel.<p>

Xander looked at Angel. "Aren't you supposed to be in Guantala who the hell cares?"

Willow spoke up. "We were ambushed at the docks by vamps they got the box."

Buffy was shocked. "How did they get the jump on you?"

"They ambushed us bigger numbers." Angel answered in truth they were caught off guard because Willow kissed him goodbye.

Buffy turned to her watcher. "Anything on this Judge guy?"

Giles nodded. "The more I read on him the less I like. His touch burns the humanity out of you no human has ever survived. Also no weapon forged has ever hurt him."

Jonathon turns to Xander. "So how did you dismember him?"

Xander smiled and pulled out his sword. "I've killed so many demons with this thing it stopped being a forged sword and became a cursed blade capable of killing gods."

Buffy turned to him kind of impressed. "You've killed gods before?"

"3" Xander answered.

Cordy smiled. "Great so we send you after this Judge guy and go home."

Xander smirked. "We'd have to find him first and odds are Zodd will protect him until he gets his strength back."

Giles muttered. "It's going to take some time to find him."

Willow smirked this was an oldie. "Round Robin"

"Giles I'm working at the library all night."

"Parents are too rich to care."

"Mom knows the big secret."

"Parents are just happy I have friends."

Willow just mutters. "Darn it I'm the only robin."

* * *

><p>Buffy looks around an abandoned factory. She knows this isn't good with the chills running down her back as she runs into a pile of boxes.<p>

Drusilla looks at her from the ceiling. "Now, now"

Buffy looks up to the second floor standing there is Drusilla next to Zodd in his demonic form with both hands wrapped around Xander's waist. Without his sword Xander can't break free.

"Hands off my presents." Drusilla orders as Xander an inhumane scream as Zodd rips him in half vertically.

Buffy just wakes up screaming no repeatedly in the library. Xander comes running in.

"Buffy calm down it was just a bad dream."

Buffy starts regaining her composure and calms down and hugs him tight not letting go. "Zodd killed you."

Xander just held her close. "I'm not going anywhere."

Buffy nodded. "But we are." Buffy now knows where the Judge is.

* * *

><p>The Scoobies split up Cordy, Jenny, and Giles kept researching for more boxes. Buffy, Xander, Willow, and Angel went to the factory Buffy dreamed about. They looked down from a catwalk and saw Drusilla and Zodd in human form following around a demonic smurf.<p>

Angel turned to Xander. "Is that-?"

"That's the Judge" Xander says without doubt he'll never forget that face.

The Judge looks up smelling the fear and concern the four Scoobies have for one another. "Intruders!"

Zodd took out his blade and threw it at the beams connecting the catwalks. The four scoobies came down crashing hard onto the floor.

Willow and Angel got up first followed by a grunting Buffy. Buffy turns to Xander who had no superhuman agility or healing effect so he took the worst of it.

"Xander are you Ok?" Buffy asks.

"I'm alive." Xander insures her as they're overrun and subdued by vampires. "I can tell from the pain."

Drusilla took sight of all 4 Scoobies that had a hand in her Spike's death especially Willow. "The Martian vampire you will finally pay for taking my Spike away."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "You're ending the world to get vengeance for Captain Peroxide."

Drusilla walked up and slapped her causing Xander to fight against the vampires holding him down. "If you had killed her there'd be no need for the Judge."

Buffy smiled. "I listened to my friends' advice maybe you will too in the next life." Buffy kicked Drusilla right into the Judge but it had no effect on her as the judge moved her aside.

Xander was confused. "I don't get it you burned vamps before."

The Judge nodded. "There is no humanity in this one she can not be burned."

Drusilla smiled. "Goody, now burn the Martian vampire."

The Judge approached Willow and Angel off of pure adrenaline broke free and attacked the Judge but the Judge grabbed him by the throat.

Willow had a look of horror. "Angel!"

Angel actually smoked a little but the Judge threw him aside perhaps it was cruel mercy.

Drusilla just smirked. "Now get the slayer."

Xander turned to her. "Don't let him touch you."

Buffy kicked the Judge when it got near her. She instantly realized that was a mistake as the color falls off her face. Seeing Buffy in danger was enough for Xander. Using everything he had he struggled free from the vamps and when he did three of them was shot in the neck with tranquilizer darts. The three vamps melted from the inside out and the scoobies started breaking free

Up on the roof a couple blocks over Jonathon was in wait. He couldn't find anything on research so he went to the factory. Knowing he'd be no good if he was captured he decided to be a sniper in this. Creating a sniper rifle round is surprisingly easier than a shotgun round. All you had to do was get a tranq dart and switch out its content for holy water. Once Buffy, Willow, and Xander were free they headed out back for the library. Buffy staked a couple vampires and Xander and Willow took some heads with their swords but they can't stay here with the Judge and Zodd. Willow lifted Angel over her shoulders and Buffy followed. When Xnader went to the tunnels the judge grabbed him from behind and Xander pushed him away as a psychotic showed across his face as he reached for his sword.

Buffy was relieved Xander didn't burn but realized that thing was taking over if Xander thought he could take on Zodd and the Judge at the same time. She grabbed him by the leg. "We have to go."

Xander regained control and followed her down.

* * *

><p>Angel wakes up in the tunnels and got to his feet. "What happened?"<p>

"The judge is lose and trying to kill us we gotta go now." Buffy says as vamps close in on them.

Angel quickly regained his senses. "We should split up make it harder for them to find us Buffy and Xander and me and Willow."

Willow nods. "Sounds like a plan."

Buffy turns to Xander. "We should head to the surface you can't exactly swing that in the sewers." She says pointing at his sword.

Buffy and Xander go up the ladder followed by Angel and Willow. The two vampires went left and the swordsman and the slayer went right.

* * *

><p>Willow and Angel made it to his place.<p>

Willow just gasped for breath one thing she is jealous of is that she needs to do that. "Well that was the most opposite of fun there ever was."

Angel just nodded. "Did the judge touch you?"

Willow shook her head vehemently. "No, you stopped it."

Angel smiled and held Willow close. "I don't know when it happened or why but what I feel for you has changed. You were so scared of what you were becoming the night you came to me. Now look at you strong, powerful, and in complete control."

"I never would have gotten there without you." Willow told him. "You gave me a shoulder to lean on; you gave me strength and confidence. I probably would have turned into something Buffy to slay if it hadn't been for you."

Their lips collide and a feeling of warmth and passion…well passion wraps through Willow's body Angel's hands start further exploring her body and she quickly snaps out of it and moves his hand and breaks away. "Easy there not so fast."

Angel just shrugs and punches her in the face knocking the redhead to the floor. Willow got up and smelled her own blood on her nose. She also takes the chance to smell Angel and realizes something was different. She was so glad he didn't burn up she didn't bother to check.

"Angel you're-."

"Free" The vampire filled in.

Willow catches on. "The Judge burned your soul."

Angelus smirks. "You always were the smart one."

Angel goes to touch Willow's hair but she slaps his arm away and vamps out. "I will kill you before I let you touch me."

Angel vamps out. "Tough words from a nerd like you." He knew the nerd comment would throw off Willow.

* * *

><p>Buffy and Xander are on the run in the rain. Buffy following Xander's lead asked "Where are we going?" Xander turned at an old abandoned house.<p>

Xander turned to Buffy. "We made it kick in the door."

Buffy kicks open the door and Xander gets to work putting it back and making it look undamaged.

"What is this place?" Buffy asked.

"And abandoned tax shelter" Xander said. "Me and Jonathon looked it up along with a dozen other places if we get outnumbered. Might not look like much but vamps need an invite to get in."

Buffy looks around. "So whose house are we actually in?"

"Cordelia's parents own it." Xander answered. "So no calling the cops on money her daddy can't pay."

Xander really looks at her and sees she's shaking. "Are you OK?"

Buffy just shivers. "Cold"

Xander brings her into the kitchen and turns on the stove. Buffy sits down next to it and winces but warms up.

Xander notices her reaction. "Are you OK."

Buffy nods. "I got cut on the way out of the factory."

Xander walked over to her. "Let me see."

Buffy backed up a bit.

Xander just sighed. "Buffy I have years of battle experience in my head there's not an injury I don't know of so please let me help."

Buffy shakes her head no.

"Buffy" Xander pleaded. "You touched the Judge I just want to make sure you're OK I love you too much to lose you."

"Turn around." Buffy ordered and Xander complied. Buffy saw the fear in his eyes so she'll let him take a look. She takes off her top and wraps it around her front. "OK"

Xander looked at her back. He gently touches her back and looks at the cut. "You're fine. It's already closed but we'll have Puck heal you when we get back."

Buffy nodded and leaned back into Xander. "When the judge touched you I was so scared. I thought you went away today."

Xander smirked. "Well I wasn't the one that hit the Judge. You almost went away."

Buffy sniffles. "You're right we can't be sure of anything."

Xander goes to leave but Buffy stops him and pulls him to her and kisses him. Xander knows he should leave but is lost in the lust for a moment since is what he wanted since the day they've met.

"Buffy we shouldn't be doing this." Xander said.

Buffy just put her hand to his mouth. "No, you told me earlier today that you loved me. And I love you too. And the fact we nearly died tonight, please just don't stop kissing me."

* * *

><p>Author's Notes.<p>

Thanks for the reviews.

Thank you for pointing out my mistake Nod Ninja can't believe I was making the same mistake in not only this but all my stories.

Not long now only 2 chapters to go.

Up Next: The decisive battle who will survive and what will be left of them.


	7. Mall Madness

Willow looks on at Angelus. Six pieces of blue and daddy's home. It should have been so obvious. Angelus grabs Willow by the arm and Willow quickly shoves a cross into Angel's mouth. When Angel goes to remove the cross from his mouth Willow takes her chance to flee. He loves Willow's fire. Angelus watches as she runs for the hills she knows he can't beat him. And he's been hungry since that stupid doughnut shop guy. He goes off to find something to eat and will go check on Drusilla.

Willow picks up on Buffy and Xander's scents and finds them in the safe house on top of each other kissing. Willow just nudged the two with her foot.

Buffy just shot up in shock. "Willow?"

Buffy sprang right up and got to her feet just like Xander did. Buffy wanted to do this tomorrow guess she doesn't have to wait anymore.

Willow just looked at the two upset a bit. "When did this happen?"

Buffy just held her head down. "About a month ago"

Willow just smiled and held the two in a hug.

Xander just kind of smiled. "Yeah, so not upset Will."

Willow just broke it. "Very happy about this. I'm so happy for you two. Why didn't you just tell me?"

Buffy was confused. "I wanted to tell you about this I tried before but hellmouth things kept getting in the way. I know how much Xander means to you so I thought it would be better to hear it from me." She said as she was putting her shirt back on. Thank god Willow didn't come here in another couple minutes who knows what she would have seen.

Willow just shrugged. "That's OK I got over it when I had a dream about old and bold Xander and same old Willow. And from one former crush to another I talked to Angel about coffee."

Buffy smiled good for Willow except Willow seemed to be crying. "Willow what's wrong?"

"It's Angel the Judge burned his soul." Willow replied as she ran through the night's events.

Buffy just cradled her in her hands. "It's OK he's been cursed before he'll be cursed again."

Xander just grabbed his sword and strapped it to his back. Buffy saw it and was worried. "Xander you going one on one with Angelus is probably just going to get you killed."

Xander just shrugged knowing she was right if he went bare handed. "True but if we're going against the Judge, Zodd, Drusilla, and Angelus I think a strategy session might be in order."

Buffy and Willow follow him out the door realizing their not being chased. They head for the library to gather for a plan.

* * *

><p>Giles heard the words and felt a chill go down his spine. Angelus has returned because they don't have enough issues with Drusilla and Zodd still out there. Cordelia and Jonathon told Willow they're sorry that she had to fight a soulless Angel. Jenny walked over and hugged her again saying I'm sorry.<p>

"No you're not." Willow said observing techno pagan.

Giles was shocked. "Willow no one wanted this to happen."

Willow just points at Jenny. "She did."

Jenny just stared at her. "Angel saved my life. I didn't want him to turn evil."

Willow looked at her. "Then why were you lying when you said sorry. I could tell from you're heartbeat."

Jenny looked like she might bolt but Xander and Buffy stood at the door ready to cut her off. "I didn't want this."

"Want what?" Buffy asked.

Jenny just decided the truth was out and considering the looks on the scoobies faces not a good time to keep quiet. "My real name is Jana, Jana Kalderash."

Puck sat at the table and quickly put it together. "You're a gypsy."

Jenny nodded in defeat.

Buffy caught on. "You mean like gypsy like they cursed Angel gypsy."

Xander glared at her. He knew something was up with her but he didn't expect this. "You were spying on us."

"Just Angel" Jenny assured them.

Giles took off his glasses not really prepared for this. "Was it all a lie?"

Jenny just looked at him "I love you Rupert I really do. I just Angel wiped out my whole family's favorite daughter and with how much of a monster Angelus is. We had to make sure he was still suffering."

"So they sent you in as a mole." Jonathon catches on.

"Curse him again." Buffy ordered.

Jenny just nodded. "I'm working on it. No one ever saw the Judge coming we thought you were going to do it somehow."

Willow just glared at her. "Show me who's working on it!"

* * *

><p>The scoobies went and followed Jenny except Jonathon and Xander whom were left with the task of figuring out a way to kill the judge. Willow, Buffy, Giles, and Cordy just followed Jenny to a hotel room. When they open the door they find that no one is here. Jenny is looking around confused. "Uncle Enyos?"<p>

Willow just takes one breath and smells it. "He's dead."

Jenny looked at the young red head. "H-how can you be so sure?"

Willow picks up a pile of what appears to be dust off the floor and pours it out of her hands. "Ashes, Dru must have seen him coming in a vision."

"The Judge, nobody saw the Demonic smurf coming." Buffy said.

Giles is worried as Jenny crushes into him and he hugs her even if she betrayed them no one should see their family like this. "If the Judge is killing humans we have to find him now his power will return at an accelerated pace."

Willow shakes her head no. "We still have time. The sun's coming up Dru and Angelus will want to see the fireworks."

Buffy's not to sure to be relieved or revolted by that so she just says let's go still got a day of school ahead of us.

* * *

><p>The girls make it back to Sunnydale just in time to make it back for school…yay. They go into the library and see Jonathon and Xander smiles on their faces.<p>

Buffy just looks at the two. "What are you guys so happy about?"

Jonathon just smirked. "We know how to beat the judge."

Buffy shrugged. "Well that's something. What about Zodd."

Xander took this one knowing Buffy won't like it. "I think Zodd is only working with Drusilla for a chance to fight me and I have no intention of disappointing him."

Buffy glared at him. "He killed Kendra."

"I'm not an idiot I know what I'm going up against." Xander assures her. "I fought with him and against him I know what I'm getting myself into."

Buffy knows she's going to regret this. "What did you fight with Zodd against?"

"A cloud demon that could shoot bolts of lightning out of his arse."

Buffy vows no more Braveheart for Xander and turns to Willow. "Do you want to get back at Drusilla for what she did to Harmony?"

Willow turned to Buffy. "I want to fight Angelus bring him in to be recursed."

Cordelia turned to the boys. "Take it you guys are going to mooch more gas off me huh?"

Xander had an ear to ear smile. "Nope"

With that they all strategize on how it's going to play out. However the Judge needs people and Cordy points out the Bronze is closed.

"You guys are too obsessed with teenage thoughts." Jenny said.

Buffy turned to her. "Well it's not exactly like there is a place where people lined up to be slaughtered."

* * *

><p>That night at the Sunnydale Mall the Judge, Angel, Drusilla and Zodd show up with an army of vampires. Zodd's actually a little surprised he'd figured if the Boy was really The Black Swordsman he'd stop by earlier in a foolish attempt to stop the Judge. The Judge puts his hands out and energy travels from the Judge's hands to a man whom quickly combusts into flames.<p>

Angelus just smirks at the pile of ashes that will be left over after tonight. "Lock all the exits boys."

The army of vampires spread out happy to oblige. The Judge releases a much bigger burst of energy zapping every person in the mall. This time however the Judge was hit by 10 cross bow bolts before he could fry all the innocent people. The Judge pulls each one out until he looks down at the crowd. "Who dares?"

Buffy just stands there Jonathon's crossbow in her hands in front of Giles, Cordelia, Willow, and Jenny. "I think that got his attention."

The Judge just gave a cocky smile. "You're a fool. No weapon forged can kill me."'

Buffy just smirked. "That was then."

Zodd instantly saw something was wrong. "Wait, where's the boy?"

Almost for tempting fate a M1A tank bursts through the back of the Mall the Tank stopped and the gun aimed itself at the Judge causing Angelus, Drusilla, and Zodd to flee the sight of him.

"What's that do?"

The tank fires on the Judge and blows him to pieces. Buffy just looks at it and can't believe they actually did it. "This sure as hell wasn't forged."

The tank opened and Xander climbed out and helped Jonathon out. "Believe it or not this was actually easier to steal then the rocket launcher."

Xander turned to Zodd and he pulled out the Dragonslayer. "Let's finish this."

Zodd pulled out his sword. "At last."

Buffy turns to Xander. "Don't forget what I said."

"I know." Xander assured her as he ran for Zodd. And the two steels clash leaving sparks until Zodd breaks a window taking their fight outside.

Jenny looks at one of the pieces of the Judge. "Is he dead?"

Buffy looks at the pieces. "No way to know for sure. Pick up the pieces and keep them separate."

Cordelia groans. Why exactly does she hang out with these people? "Pieces? We get the pieces. Our job sucks!"

* * *

><p>Angel is quickly fleeing the building seeing the plan go to hell. The judge is gone the big demon is fighting Xander while Buffy and the geek are mercilessly killing with a repeating crossbow and explosive shotgun rounds from earlier. He makes it to the arcade until he's grabbed from behind and thrown into one of the machines head first. Angel got up in game face glass through the skull hurts like hell.<p>

Angel smirked getting to his feet. "I knew you still loved" Angel turns around and sees Willow "Oh you."

Willow looked at her former sire knowing this won't be easy. "Yup plain old me"

Angel went to punch her but Willow blocked it and countered with a fist of her own.

Angel just smirked. "Should have used that sword on your back to go for the kill. Are you still hoping some part of soul boy is still in here?"

Willow just looked at him. "No, but he will be soon enough."

Angel dropped the smile and when Willow went to punch him he grabbed her hand and threw her into another machine.

* * *

><p>Buffy approached Drusilla. It's hard to believe one vampire did so much damage. She killed Harmony and sent Willow into a downward spiral. She summoned the order of Taraka which killed Kendra and is making Xander fight Zodd right now. Buffy desperately wants to be out there with her slayer dream but Xander made her swear she would not interfere after seeing what happened when Kendra did. And to add one last piece she assembled the judge whom has killed who knows how many people before they stopped it.<p>

Drusilla smiled. "Do you want to play?"

Buffy glared at her. "This is all just one game to you isn't it?"

Drusilla just laughed like a little girl. "My games brought daddy back and I get to end the world once we out humpty dumpty together again."

Buffy pulls out Kendra's stake from her back ready to keep her promise. "Not if Mr. Pointy has anything to say about it."

Buffy throws a kick but Drusilla blocks it easily. Buffy takes a couple swings but Drusilla ducks under each one. Buffy realizes it's not good to fight a psychic on a mission they know exactly what you're going to do right before you do it.

* * *

><p>Xander is outside still fighting Zodd to a stalemate their swordsman skills are evenly matched. Zodd just smiled. This is it the fight he has been waiting for centuries. Too long now humans have been obsessed with their guns. Zodd slaughtered them easily with his regenerative abilities. The Black Swordsman and the Beast Swordsman swords clashed one last time as Zodd's sword broke. Xander went to stab Zodd right through the brain but the demon grabbed his sword mid strike and laughed.<p>

"I had forgotten no forged blade can stand up to yours or Gaiseric's cursed blades." A horn shoots out of Zodd's head as he takes his demonic form. Xander just holds his sword tight and pulls freeing his sword and cutting Zodd's hand. Xander groans when Zodd throws a Car at him. Xander makes one quick cut down cutting the car in half each side missing him completely. Xander sighs in relief and can't believe that actually worked. Xander sees Zodd rush him and runs out to confront him. He uses his smaller size to his advantage and makes a running slash at his leg. The wound heals up fast enough and Zodd swings his right hand at Xander whom responds by side stepping to the left and cutting off his left arm. Zodd just grabs his left arm and hits Xander with it knocking him to the floor.

"Nice going Harris you just gave him a weapon." He chastises himself remembering his original fight all those years ago.

* * *

><p>Angelus picks up Willow and smashes her face head first into a crane. Willow comes out with a bloody game face kicking Angelus in the groin before returning the favor smashing his head through the crane next to it and throwing him to the floor. Willow pulls out her sword and tries to pin Angel to the floor with it but he rolls out of the way.<p>

Angelus looks at her impressed she's going this far. "Is my little Willow ready for the big fat kill?"

"You could always surrender." Willow offered.

"Not really my style." Angelus quipped.

Willow ran Angelus out of the arcade and Angel grabbed her. She made a fake quick swing of her sword at Angel's chest and stabbed him in the leg with the real one. Willow tackles Angel and tries to knock him over the guard rail and knock him out but Angel grabs Willow pulls her to him and both vampires flipped over the guard rail.

* * *

><p>Buffy was still trying to fight Drusilla. She imagines this fight would have been over if she hadn't overcome hypnosis against the Master. Who would have thought dying last year is saving her life this year. Drusilla pushed her to the ground clearly in control of the fight. Drusilla smiled looking down on the slayer. She just as quickly turned her face into one of horror. "Daddy"<p>

She looked on as Angel and Willow crashed from the second floor down to the floor. Buffy took the opportunity to get Mr. Pointy ready and tackled Drusilla from behind and they both fell down the steps. Buffy put the stake right through Drusilla's heart as she swore she would do for Kendra. Drusilla just smiled. "She's going to drink you soon." She turns into dust finally dead.

* * *

><p>Xander was slow to get to his feet. To him however the fact that he could get hit by Zodd and still be able to get up shows what he's made of. Xander stands sword ready as the beast reattaches his left arm. Xander just rests his sword in his hands and puts the blade behind him.<p>

Zodd just looked at him. "Are you exhausted already? Counting on the strength of your sword in one last futile attempt to defeat me?"

Xander just smirked at Zodd's arrogance. "Attempt nothing tonight I'm going to kill you."

Zodd swung with a right hand and Xander ducked under it. The reborn swordsman swung his blade in one quick horizontal swing. Zodd jumped out of the way and gored Xander with the middle of his head running him back first into a car. Xander coughed up blood from the attack falling to the floor. Zodd just looked at the boy. Is it over already?

* * *

><p>Buffy ran down to where Willow and Angelus landed. Angelus landed in the wishing well he's fine but Willow smashed her head on the concrete floor when she landed and was bleeding bad. Buffy went to the floor and pulled up Willow she wasn't looking too good but she was conscious.<p>

Willow looked at the slayer. "Hey Buff. Why are there three of you?"

Angelus just cracks up laughing. Buffy gently puts Willow down and turns to Angelus in smoldering hatred she runs to him and jumps and comes crashing down on the unsouled Angel's legs breaking them in multiple places. She'll make sure they bring Angel back like Will wanted to. Angelus' face cringes but he works through the pain. He takes the sight on with a smile.

Buffy just looks at him. "What's so funny?"

Angelus just smirks he knows what they intend to do with him but he'll have on last drop of fun. "The worst thing that can happen to a vampire next to having a soul shoved up your ass. Brain damage, vampires can exist as mindless vegetables but it's cruel not being able to do anything, feel anything, touch anything for eternity. And with Willow being the mystical Rasputin vamp that she is. She'll be stuck like that for eternity."

Buffy pulled him up by his jacket. "How do I stop it?"

Angelus just smirked with Angel's knowledge he knows how. "Willow's healing will go into overdrive if she drinks warm living blood. So what poor bastard are you going to feed to her?"

Buffy just planted one firm kick on his jaw and knocked him out. She walked over to Willow and pulled her up a bit.

"Watch the head Buff." Willow pleaded. "I don't feel that good."

Buffy nodded. "You hit your head Will and are about to go on a permanent trip to coma land."

Willow just nodded weakly set to pass out. "Sounds nice"

Buffy jostled her awake. "No Will listen you can still get through you just have to drink." Buffy sighs realizing what Drusilla meant. "You have to drink me."

Willow shook her head vehemently you don't eat your best friend. "No there has to be another way."

"There isn't Will. Now I am not going to let you die with slayer blood you might not even need it all."

"You don't understand." Willow replied this was her worst fear. "I won't stop because I might not want to. It will just be too tempting to drain you dry."

"It won't be." Buffy answered. "I know that you've changed but your still Willow you are not a murderer. Now I'm going to save your life with it be two puncture holes or a cut artery and I'm counting on you to save mine."

Willow just nodded. "I'll try." Willow willed herself into her game face and sunk her fangs into Buffy's neck. She could instantly feel it working as the vampire ambrosia slides down her throat.

* * *

><p>Zodd picked Xander up by his sides. "Is that it is that the limit of your strength. No for a human you were incredible but if you won't fight anymore I will tear you in half. Just like in Buffy's dream she warned him about Zodd pulled at Xander sides trying to rip him in two.<p>

Xander released a scream in agony till he shouted. "Puck now."

The elf flew out of Xander's pant leg and got right in Zodd's face hitting him with a spark blinding him and making him drop Xander out of instinct to rub his eyes. Xander repeatedly stabbed him in the stomach with a knife until Zodd can see straight again and grabs his arm holding him up. Xander has to say he misses the cannon he used to have on his arm this is like the 12th time it would have been useful since Halloween.

Zodd just rolled his eyes as Xander tries a few more swings. "Foolish mortal. I heal almost instantly."

Xander just twirls something on his other hand. "I'm kind of counting on that."

Zodd looks closer at the boy's hand. He knows all of the modern weapons he's still a mercenary. He realizes Xander's holding a grenade pin and the bomb is in his chest. Zodd threw Xander with impressive force making him slam hard into the ground. Zodd sprouts his wings trying to fly away. Xander gets to his feet as Zodd's wings come out he runs and gets the dragonslayer. The bomb goes off and a hole punches through Zodd's chest. The demon gets down on all fours but still manages to fly away, but Xander jumps on his back leg dragonslayer sheathed on his back.

Puck watches the two go high above the mall. "This is so not good."

Xander hung on for dear life. He certainly wasn't expecting to get this kind of view of Sunnydale. He scurried up and climbed up as Zodd crashed into the side of a building. Xander climbed up and with one last Swing he moved his sword straight down impaling Zodd on the sword in the back. Zodd crashed hard into a building and Xander fell off and did some rolls taking his sword with him since he never weakened his grip. Xander looked around as did Zodd. Zodd found him and let out a war cry. Xander let out one of his own and rushed Zodd as the demon tried to fly into him. When close enough Xander used his sword as a pole vault and jumped onto Zodd's head. With his sword still on the ground he pulled it across cutting Zodd in half vertically from skull to groin.

Xander panted and gasped for breath as Zodd's body revealed its true form. Xander forgot that acolytes turn back to human form after they die. Zodd's human form looked like something of a military leader that got something like Polio. Xander guesses he couldn't take going down like that so he sacrificed someone important to die on the battlefield like he wanted. Thankfully Zodd was so old and writhen through his body just faded away to dust as hundreds of years of decay caught up with him.

* * *

><p>Xander got back to the mall just in time to see Jonathon pick off the last vampire with a custom shell.<p>

Jonathon smiled. "You made it."

Xander just shrugged. "Looks like. So where are Buffy and Willow?"

Xander instantly noticed Jonathon's short breath. "Where are they?"

Jonathon didn't say a word and just pointed to where there was a red fountain that was once blue. Xander ran as fast as he could. Who didn't make it? Giles, Jenny, Cordelia. Oh god Willow. She was his best friend since childhood fangs and all. Loosing Jessie was bad he doesn't know what he would do if he lost Willow. That leaves Buffy. The girl he loves. He'll have Schierke resurrect whoever did it just so he could kill them himself. And if it's one that got away he'll flood the streets in demon blood and empty out the hellmouth. He'll make sure demons curse the day the slayer died. He gets to the fountain and sees a fully recovered Willow with Buffy holding a cloth to her neck sitting down on a bench. Next to her is Giles holding a cloth to Ms. Calendar's neck with Puck healing them both. Xander wedges in and holds Buffy's cloth for her.

Willow looked at him trying to tune out the blood his rapid beating heart is pumping. "Did you have to run all the way here?"

"Don't blame me because the latest Scooby is a psychotic leprechaun." Xander replied. Seriously Jonathon just scared the hell out of him with that. "So how did we do?"

"We won a hard fought battle." Giles said.

"Drusilla"

Buffy held up Mr. Pointy. "Dust at last, Dust at Last thank god the crazy bitch is dust at last."

"Evil deadboy"

Willow pulled Angelus' head out of the fountain and throws him back in. "Contained."

Xander turned to Buffy and Jenny. "Your necks"

"I let Willow bite me." Buffy answered. "It was the only way to save her. Jen-Jan…"

"It's just Jenny now." Ms. Calendar answered. "Helping vampires definitely gets you kicked out of the clan sad to say."

Buffy nodded. "Anyway she saw what I was doing and tagged herself in to keep me alive and make up for lying to us."

Xander just smiled that didn't go past Buffy. "Xander what is it?"

"Just thinking back on everything since Halloween. I have both lives in control and in balance now. Willow is in full control of her vampyness. We got a new friend. Hell Cordy's in a deserted mall and isn't even window shopping."

Cordelia just tuts. "Like I'd buy something here."

Xander gathers up Angel's body and the scoobies depart the mall world saved vamps staked and tomorrow they'll start looking for a way to recurse Angel.

* * *

><p>Author's notes<p>

Thanks for the reviews.

I'd love to have a cannon side of Zodd but 20+ years later we still don't know %^% about him except he lost a horn to Griffith.

Up Next: Changed (Final Chapter)


	8. Changed

Xander just stood there staring at the statue with a sledgehammer in his hands. When Giles told him about it he could barely control his anger. It took Buffy showing up to finally calm him down. Where are the rest of the scoobies they're trying to resurrect Angel's soul tonight. Xander had absolutely no interest in that even before this thing showed up again in his life. Acathla, the devourer of the world, Xander was taking one last look at the beast. He touches the sword that was used to kill the beast as memories rushed back into his head of the knight who did it.

"You're just a rabid dog!"

"I'll come back with reinforcements until then don't die!"

"You can't live on hopes and dreams alone!"

"You fool. You're always getting hurt…You're always spilling your own blood for me…you fool."

"Forget about what you can't understand! Focus on what you can do!"

"Guts, I had a bad dream."

"Guts don't watch…please don't watch."

Xander wishes he could take the sword with him and leave it on the hill of swords but he can't risk opening Acathla. He can't risk anyone getting sucked in let alone that monster getting out. Xander tightens his grip on the hammer as the anger takes him thinking back to that thing.

"Now you belong to me Guts."

"I will choose how you will live and where you will die."

"I will have my own kingdom."

"I always get what I want."

"A friend is someone who will fight for their own dream."

"Among the thousands of comrades and the tens of thousands of enemies. You were the only one that made me forget my dream…I make the offering."

"I came to see if I could feel anything. I feel nothing, and I regret nothing."

With one quick scream he swung and Acathla's head crumbled to dust. Xander knocked the stone carcass to the floor. In a rage he attacked the statue letting out a scream somewhere between Gut's war cry and Xander's cry of pain. He repeatedly attacked the statue reducing it to rubble more and more with each blow. Eventually he realizes all he's doing is pounding dust into concrete and collects himself.

Xander turned for the exit and looked back one last time. "Rot in hell, your majesty."

* * *

><p>Xander came over to Buffy's house after the museum like she had asked him to. Xander wonders what his girlfriend whom he loves dearly is actually up to. Buffy smiled sitting on the couch as he walked in.<p>

Xander smiled at Buffy and asked. "So deadboy or dead asshole." He asks about Angel as he sits down next to her.

Buffy rolled her eyes she was hoping Xander would let it drop. "He's still Angelus though Giles is cashing in a favor tomorrow and he thinks that should do it."

Xander nods he'll be happy…for Willow when Angel is recursed. "Did I miss anything interesting?"

Buffy shakes her head no. "Nothing worth mentioning. Someone went psycho on the statue on the statue of Alfalfa. By the where did you go tonight?"

Xander shrugged his shoulders. "Went to visit an old friend made sure he wasn't going anywhere. So why did you ask me to come here tonight?"

Buffy just climbs onto Xander's lap and kisses him deeply. "Mom is out of town until the day after tomorrow. And" Buffy's hand slides lower and Xander becomes alert.

Xander thinks he might be in shock. Ends up it's a paralyzing calm more then anything else. "Are you sure I mean you're not traumatized by the swim team are you?"

Buffy glared at him. "I'm not but the coach is. Besides if anything I'd be more traumatized by what you and Willow got up to."

Xander pointed a finger at her. "That does not count Buff we weren't ourselves and besides our kiss involved me shooting her out a second story window."

Buffy realized they were getting off topic. "The point is. I love you Xander Harris and I want you to be."

Xander kisses her soft at first cutting her off but they quickly become more passionate. "I love you too." Xander lifts her off the couch and Buffy wraps her legs around his waist Xander carries her up to her room and kicks the door shut behind them.

* * *

><p>Xander just smiles content as he runs his fingertips over Buffy's arm. Buffy looks into his eyes and smiles.<p>

Buffy woke up and Xander wrapped his arms around her and strokes her hair. Buffy started talking. "I feel different do you…no of course you don't feel different you've had a whole life time of stuff like this. Was it nice at least?"

Xander just smiled. "I feel it Buff, Everything is different and that was wonderful. For the record old life never took the time to enjoy it."

Buffy looked confused Xander probably thought about sex every 7 seconds. "Why Not?"

Xander shrugged. "Demons to kill, girlfriend to save you know the drill."

Buffy laughed until she realized something. "Oh god what the do we tell Giles about why you're not coming home tonight."

Xander smirked. "That's easy we look him right in the eyes and we tell him we're two people who…spent all night fighting a mohra demon." Giles would assume two didn't know about the gem.

* * *

><p>Xander and Jonathon were walking to school. Just another day in Sunnydale High. Jonathon was the one who asked it first. "You think this guy can really restore Angel's soul."<p>

Xander shrugged. "G-man seems think so." Xander said cracking his wrist.

Jonathon just looked at him. "Do you want his soul to be restored?"

Xander was in thought trying to come up with an answer. "I want whatever makes Willow happy so right now I want Angel's soul back. If Willow wants Angel dead I'll be more than happy to look into it."

Jonathon nodded. "You're kind of twisted you know…even before Halloween."

Xander just gave him a crooked smile. "I am what I am."

Jonathon looked at a sight to the right and turned back to Xander. "So how about you and Buffy."

Xander rolls his eyes Jonathon is turning into a good friend but he's not finding out about this any time soon. Xander decides to peak to the right and see what has his friend's attention its Larry emptily forcibly flirting with Amy. Xander looks at Jonathon go shy and realizes he has a thing for the young witch. Amy had a bit where she was cheating on tests with magic. But Xander caught her and they had a long talk when he saw it. He knows first hand how dangerous magic is and should least of all be used for something so petty.

"She's always been kind of cute." Xander said. "Amy I mean."

Jonathon just looked at him. "She's beautiful but I think Buffy might slay you. If she hears you say that."

Xander shakes his head no. "Nah she'll only slay me if I go beyond watching. So why don't you ask her out? Amy not Buffy I can tell you like her."

Jonathon just stared getting nervous. "I-I just can't ask her out what if she gets nervous what if I get nervous."

Xander just looked at him and rolled his eyes. "Look John if she shuts you down you can still hold you head up and go hey I at least had the guts to ask that incredible girl out."

Jonathon just stuttered. "But you and Buffy make it look so easy."

Xander did all he could not to laugh at him. "Easy I had to" Puts a finger up. "Fight vampires." He puts another finger up. "Giver her CPR when the master killed her." Another finger goes up. "Deal with Guts memories" His pinky goes up. "Wait for her to dump deadboy." He puts his thumb up making a full hand. "And finally kill someone I didn't even think could die." He just laughed realizing all the crap he went through and the changes he went through. He wouldn't trade any of it back even relearning of the 'silver coin incident' which is frightening in its own way.

Xander could still see that Jonathon wasn't convinced. "Look Jonathon you have to take a risk. You can either listen to other people around their fire or you can try to start a fire for yourself."

Jonathon just shrugged. "I'll think about it."

Xander just smiled. "And sometimes you have count on your friends to help." With his open hand he shoved Jonathon into Larry. Xander realizes he messed up a couple months back. The class had self defense classes and Larry put the moves on Buffy so fearing Buffy would really hurt Larry he volunteered to be her partner claiming he'd have fun holding her. He realizes he should have just left Larry to take the beating. Xander swears he still has bruises from it.

Larry just looked at who did it. Did little Jonathon Levinson push him. "You got something to say to me little man?"

Jonathon just stared at him nervously. "I don't think she likes you."

Larry shrugged. "Yeah well I heard from other guys on the team that she worked fast."

Amy swallowed hard and tried not to get upset. She didn't do anything like that yet but her mom the psycho witch decided to have some fun after she took her body leaving the young witch with a little bit of a slut rep when she got her body back.

Xander watched as his friend systematically picked apart Larry. He punched him in the stomach, followed with a knee to the gut when Larry held his stomach, followed with a knee to the face, and finishing it up with a punch to the face. Larry turned around and walked into Xander and remembered back to Halloween night and fled.

Amy was impressed no one ever went to bat for her like that before Buffy. Though she had to admit she never thought Jonathon of all people would do that. "Thank you, Jonathon."

Jonathon just nodded. "No problem."

Amy started to walk away. Xander just started nudging Jonathon in the back and encouraging him to make a move. When the little man has enough he just asks. "Amy"

The witch turns around and Jonathon gets nervous. "A-a bunch of us are watching a movie tonight would you like to come with us."

Xander almost wanted to hide his face in his hands maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

Amy smiled he seemed harmless enough. "It sounds like fun."

Xander was shocked score one for the underdog.

* * *

><p>That night Xander walked into the library Dragonslayer in hand 3 vampires and a Freddy Krueger looking thing only Puck could see near the hospital later he calls it an early night. He comes to the library and sees Angelus trapped in his usual crystal cage whenever they try to resoul him.<p>

Angelus just snarls if there's anything him and soulboy ever had an agreement on it was two things. Xander Harris is a waste of life and nobody should have made Godfather III. Angelus takes a moment to sniff the air and smells it.

"Little Buffy's all woman now huh, or was she already a slut."

Xander clenches his fist he will not kill Angelus, he will not kill Angelus, he will not kill Angelus, he will not kill Angelus.

"You know I was always curious about what would happen if you bang a slayer. Was she too strong did she leave bruises?" Angelus asked continuing to rile up Xander he's noticed how bad his temper got since Halloween all he needs to do is get him angry and if the crystal cage is attacked from the outside it will shatter.

Xander doesn't attack he does the exact opposite. He laughs it starts as a smirk before it becomes a chuckle and devolves into an all out laugh. Angelus joined in the laugh and Xander kept going it was somewhere between Guts' psychotic laugh and Xander's innocent chuckle. The Black Swordsman and the scourge of Europe share a moment. Xander wiped tears from his eyes and turned to Angel. "What the hell are you laughing about? I'm laughing at you. I came out here to tell you that we're not going to recurse you ends up there's a flaw where you can get out. We're going to resoul you. You will never be anything again except for stray thoughts in the back of Deadboy's head." Xander looked at his watch and pointed at it. "Speaking of which, Showtime."

A mage in grey cloth emerges from Giles office followed by the watcher himself, Jenny, Willow, Buffy, and Schierke. The mage starts chanting and the scourge of Europe shows fear for the first time as green energy surrounds him. The crystal cage falls and the vampire is levitated up off the floor and the green energy crashes into him when the spell dissipates Angel falls to the floor.

Willow runs over and shakes him awake. "Come on Angel wake up."

The vampire opens his eyes as Schierke walks over to him. Schierke puts her staff on Angel's head and he falls into a trance. The old witch senses his OD and released him.

Angel fought off the dizzy spell and got his eyes to focus on the redhead. "Willow, what's going on? I don't remember…anything."

Willow just cradled him and planted kisses all over. "It doesn't matter now. You're safe and your soul is bound to you for good."

Angel was confused. "What do you mean bound?"

Jenny had to answer this one. "My former clan didn't return your soul we cursed you with one. If you were to have had one moment of perfect happiness. You would have changed back into Angelus."

Angel looked at her she's a gypsy. "What do you mean former clan?"

Jenny shrugged. "They threw me out for helping them restore you. Which is just ironic because I can't think of anything worse than Angelus being trapped watching all the good you'll do."

Giles just turns to the mage. "Thank you for that powerful spell."

The mage just nods. "This restores the balance between us Rupert Giles. My debt to you has been repaid. Do not call upon me again."

Xander just watched the mage disappear into shadow. "His debt to you has been repaid? What did you do?"

"I introduced him to his wife." Giles answered.

Xander saw Schierke holding her head. "Still can't take the city huh?"

Schierke nodded. "It's just too loud and the spirits are too quiet."

Xander nods his head in understanding. "Why don't you go home Schierke there isn't anything else you can do here."

Schierke left and Willow and Angel went to get that long talk over a round of coffee as Angel deals with the two people Angelus got before the scoobies stopped him. Xander looked to Giles and saw the older librarian is cleaning his glasses…Oh crap.

Giles put his glasses aside and asked Jenny and Puck to take a walk and he'll meet them at home. The technopagan and elf sees the look in his eye and they nod in agreement. Leaving the slayer and the swordsman right in the path of Giles. Buffy doesn't think she ever saw him like this.

"OK on a scale of 1-10 how mad are you and what did we do?" Buffy asked.

Giles stopped cleaning his glasses and turned to Xander. "I heard what you and Angelus talked about right before we restored him."

Buffy turned to Xander. "What did you guys talk about?"

Xander was cursing under breath. He didn't start laughing fast enough. "Last night…I don't know how but he knew."

"He smelled it on you." Giles answered.

Buffy's face lit up. "If Angel can smell it does that mean Willow? So that's why she was so curious about what I was doing last night…She can smell it on me?"

Giles nodded and Buffy groaned. So not only does her ex know, her best friend knows and now her watcher knows. Maybe they can all go home tonight and tell her mom when she comes back.

Buffy just sighed and turned to Giles. "So how mad are you? Planning to kill us."

Giles stared at the two. "I'm not."

Xander just looked at him trying to gauge a reaction. "Looks like Giles sounds like teenager."

Giles just looked at the two. "Do you want me to wag my finger at you two and tell you that you acted rashly? You did. A-and I can. I know that Buffy loves you Xander. And... you... have proven more than once that you love her. Just be sure to take precautions."

Buffy rolled here eyes she knew this wouldn't be that easy. "And here comes the talk."

* * *

><p>That night everyone started gathering together. They all agreed whether or not this worked they would go to the old abandoned white walled house and watch the movie Xander got Buffy for her birthday. Jonathon had a DVD projector and he said it was a fun way to watch movies. Xander and Buffy got there first followed by Jonathon and Amy. Cordelia showed up with her new boyfriend Oz. Xander is still trying to figure out how that one happened. Apparently she was a dating a head singer and dumped him when he refused to see her as anything but a hottie. Those two started up after Willow shot Oz down still upset about Angelus. And for the hellmouth twist it led to 2 'fun' nights of werewolf hunting when Cordelia called worried about him, Jonathon and Buffy tranqing wolf Oz to keep him him from hurting anyone. And Xander cutting off a hunter's arm when he tried to shoot the unconscious Oz. When it became obvious Willow and Angel weren't showing they started the movie.<p>

Willow looked at Angel. "Come on you have to face them sometime."

Angel nodded but moved slowly. What's he going to say to them assuming Buffy doesn't run a redwood through him on site?

Willow just smiled. "Angel, they won't kill you in front of me it will make me cranky."

Angel just smiled. "All right and thank you for the coffee."

They came down and joined the others. Willow was the first to speak up. "So did we miss anything exciting?"

Xander just rolled his eyes. "This might be the worst movie I've ever seen. The vampires sparkle." He turns to Angel. "It's like you knocked up Tinker Bell and these guys came out. I think I might have finally found a vampire I hate more then you."

Buffy nods in agreement. "If I staked one of these I'd probably spend a week getting the glitter out of my clothes."

With that Xander moved over. It was subtle but he made space for Angel and Willow to sit down. He doesn't think he'll ever be good friends with Angel. Being in love with the same girl thing and more importantly the demon thing. However there are no words he can think of to thank Angel. He'll never tell her but he had nightmares about what Willow could have become if he didn't help her along the way. She probably would have become skanky evil…and maybe kind of gay with the way she was checking out Cordy's neck sometimes.

Willow just sighs and leans back watching the dumbest baseball game of all time on the movie. She could care less she just leans back into Angel. She's so happy to have him back she can ask about that smell coming off Xander and Buffy. More importantly she has him back. Eternity is a very lonely concept one she's thankful she has Angel even if it's just a little while. She looks at Cordelia and sees her happy in Oz's arms as she cracks jokes about their skin tone. Oz is just giving nods and single word answers and the occasional joke. With how little he talks back he truly is the perfect guy for Cordy. She smiles as she realizes something to her. She doesn't smell anything. The temptation the hunger it's all gone. She's changed she doesn't see them as food anymore just friends and people. She finally did it.

Angel looks down and sees Willow smile a genuine smile. This causes him to give one of his own. "What are you so happy about?"

Willow looked up and answered. "I don't smell anything on Cordy."

Angel just smiled at her. He remembered and knew how much that meant. Willow just moved head up and kissed Angel who was happy to kiss back.

Xander watched the movie with Buffy in his arms. He still can't believe this. He can't believe how much has changed in 6 months. He has his memories of his old life back. He has powerful allies along with new friends. He's free of his parents thanks to Giles taking him in and most important of all, he has Buffy the girl he loves. He has the girl of his dreams in his arms and as long as he has something to say about it he's not ever letting her go.

Buffy looks up at Xander and smiles not believing how her life is turning out. She always figured it would just be Angel someone who knows her darkness. But Xander knows it, accepts it and has some of his own now. She can't believe she actually found someone that she can have an actual future with in the day and everything. Someone who just accepts her as Buffy. The girl, the darkness, the slayer.

The movie is interrupted by a snarl of a vampire in game face with friends. "Look at this 4 girl treats with nowhere to run."

They all just sigh and get to their feet they changed but the battle is never-ending. Amy's hands light up in fire ready to throw a fireball, Jonathon Cordelia, and Oz pull out tranquilizer guns with holy water cartridges, Willow and Angel vamp out, Xander just sighs and pulls out a stake and mutters under breath about not bringing Dragonslayer. Buffy just pulls out a stake of her own and quips.

"How does it feel to be a group of rocket scientists?"

**THE END**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's notes<br>**

**Thanks to everyone who read The Bet and this story. Special thanks to those who reviewed.  
><strong>

**The Betverse Scoobies will return in A Berserker's Wrath.  
><strong>


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